


Guide Me To Your Perfect Light

by renaissancefleabag



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Destiny, F/F, Fate, Haitian Vodou, Hallmark Christmas Movie But Make It Gay And Zarie, Holidays, I Want You To Feel Cozy From Reading This, It's A Christmas Fic Ya'll, Voodoo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:49:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 44,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27931024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/renaissancefleabag/pseuds/renaissancefleabag
Summary: Marie LaFleur is tired of her ordinary life, and working as a New Orleans tour guide. Filled with ennui, she decides it is time for a change. Prompted by an aptly-timed supernatural encounter, Marie decides to take a risk, and ends up in Greendale for Christmas—specifically at the bed and breakfast run by the Spellman family. There, she meets Zelda Spellman. Zelda is initially hard to read, yet she finds herself drawn to Marie. What happens when the two women meet and discover that they have more in common than they initially thought?
Relationships: Marie LaFleur (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) & Zelda Spellman, Marie LaFleur (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)/Zelda Spellman
Comments: 78
Kudos: 109





	1. Bring your torch, come light the way

**Author's Note:**

> I made cover art for this but was having a bit of trouble getting it uploaded here. Hope to rectify that soon. Until then, you can look at it on my tumblr, [here](https://renaissancefleabag.tumblr.com/post/636824069206147072/marie-lafleur-is-tired-of-her-ordinary-life-and)

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/60687116@N06/50808644977/in/dateposted-public/)

**December 17, New Orleans**

A balmy evening breeze blew through the busy French Quarter streets, the usual brackish smell temporarily absent. Marie LaFleur walked her bicycle down the sidewalk through her neighborhood, wanting nothing more than to be back at her apartment already. The usual hustle and bustle of the after work crowd, combined with tourists was a more than familiar sight at this point. Additionally, the city was decorated for Christmas, bright and gaudy decorations accompanying the crowds of tourists. Colorful lights were strung up on buildings, lining windows, and even wrapped around posts. Garlands hung from wrought iron banisters and railings, clad with even more lights, plastic Mardi Gras beads, and noticeable ornaments. The shiny golds and purples, loud reds, blues, and glittery greens, were usually a welcome sight to Marie; however, everything went past in a colorful blur this year, and Marie wished for Christmas to be done with. A band nearby was nearing the cheerful strains of a jazzy rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and some tourists had gathered around. Marie stepped through the small group of bystanders, navigating her bike around peoples’ feet. 

Simply put, she just wasn’t in the mood to be festive this year. Her life had grown ordinary and boring, and she hated her job. Working as a tour guide wasn’t exactly her life’s dream. Sure, she was fantastic with people, and was able to act the part as she led tourists all around the city, showing them famous and notable locations. Even her boss was almost perfect—although she did overwork Marie, blaming it on the fact that Marie was her most popular tour guide, and brought in the most revenue. The only things that brought her joy in her free time were yoga and dance. But she wanted something _more_. She wanted to feel fulfilled from her work, to know that she was actually helping others improve their lives. Most of the people who came to take a tour from her were people who cared very little about the rich history of the city, and rather wanted to see all of the “cool voodoo spots” for photo opportunities. Of course, every now and again there was a history buff or two. But for the most part, Marie just felt like she was going through the motions.

Even more than a change of career and possibly scenery, Marie longed for companionship. The holiday season always was a rotten time to be single with friends and family all living in different places. Deep down inside, Marie hoped that she wouldn’t have to keep spending Christmas alone, that she would find a partner someday. Sure, she had the choice to go visit her family, but even the idea of spending time with them wasn’t as appealing this year. 

She’d been in New Orleans for as long as she could remember. Her family had initially moved there from Haiti when she was very young, her parents looking to give their kids a life in America. The transition from life in Haiti to life in New Orleans was a rough one for Marie in particular, leaving her friends and beloved grandmother behind. Slowly but surely, she’d adjusted and adapted, and ended up staying in America, long after her parents had moved back home. 

Her older sister, Jeanette, no longer lived in New Orleans, but Atlanta, where she spent her days at home, looking after her three children as well as being a beauty ambassador on social media. Her husband, a wealthy businessman, had the kind of income that allowed Jeanette to stay at home all day and do whatever she pleased. Sometimes Marie envied her sister, though not from a place of jealousy. True, Marie could do without the kids, as she was still enjoying the untethered last few years of her 30s; however, Jean had financial security, and a fantastic relationship. Marie had an apartment she wouldn’t be able to afford for much longer, a few plants, and a string of failed romances. She’d dated quite a bit over the past year, but things just never seemed to work out beyond a few dates with each person. It was draining and discouraging, and Marie wondered how long she would be unsuccessful in the relationship department. If she dwelled on thoughts of her relationship status for too long, it would give way to anxiety. Marie was a fairly self-confident person, and knew that she would be an excellent partner if given the chance. To give into anxiety was highly unlike her, but for the past few Christmases, Marie felt the full weight of her anxiety. She never knew when it would hit, but gauged that she had a few weeks between Halloween and _Fet Gede_ to prepare for her regularly scheduled longing. Some days she thought maybe she was meant to be single for a reason, and that she should stop worrying about her relationship status, that perhaps things would fall into place on their own. Other days, she pictured her nieces getting married off while she was an old spinster, too old to have elderly aunties poking her in the ribs asking her when it would be ‘her turn’.

One of the things that had really helped her was developing a regular yoga practice. She’d discovered it towards the end of college, and had practiced on and off before getting serious in the past few years. There also was dance, though she felt she missed her chance to do anything with that career-wise. The artistic expression and pure freedom she felt from dance was unlike anything else. It was something that had been in her life since she was a child, but she didn’t pursue it seriously. Even when she begrudgingly signed up to be a business major at the insistence of her parents, she still practiced dance as much as she could. It was one of those things that would never really leave her, and would always be there for her, when all else failed. 

The wind picked up again, this time a bit cooler than when Marie initially started her journey back home. She pulled her cardigan closed, checking her surroundings before digging her key out of her pocket. It was good to have it out and ready, just to be safe. The area where she lived wasn’t exactly fraught with danger, yet it wasn’t the best part of town. With eyes glazed over, Marie’s feet took her down the familiar boulevards and lanes, before she finally came to a stop in front of the brick building she called home. It was in an older part of town, the building itself and those around it showing age; however, it was decent that the rent was considerably higher than would be expected. Marie had been a tenant of the building for the past three years, previously living in various situations while trying to pay off some residual student loans, and establish some sort of savings. It took a while, and she had several different roommate situations, but she eventually was finally able to move into her current place. 

A swell of pride always surged through Marie when she unlocked her front door and stepped inside her home. Being able to afford a place of her own had been on her goals list for a considerable amount of time, and she always felt proud that she was able to fulfill said goal. She sighed as she wheeled her bike in through the door, and sat it off to the side. The small apartment was outfitted with her own boho-chic style, the once-bland space into a gorgeous place where she could recharge. Marie wasted no time in setting her bag down, and going into the kitchen. She turned the hot water on and washed her hands, wondering if she should call her sister or not. Jean’s job and kids often kept her constantly busy, even though she worked from home. Marie couldn’t even recall the last time her and her sister actually spoke on the phone voice to voice. It had been a while, longer than either of them would have liked. Life, simply put, sometimes just got in the way. 

Once Marie had her soup reheating on the stove on a low heat setting, she went back into the living room, searching for her phone in her purse. With a yawn, she went to her window seat—one of her favorite things about her apartment—and brought her legs up onto the bench, tucking her feet beneath her. With a few swipes, she pulled up her sister’s name and pushed the ‘call’ button, hoping her sister wasn’t too busy to talk.

The phone rang several times, and Marie examined her fingernails, glad to find that her most recent at-home polish job hadn’t started to chip just yet. 

_“Hey!”_

“Hey,” Marie sighed, leaning back against the wall as she looked down into the street below. 

_“How are you M?”_

“I’m actually not all too sure anymore. I just...I just feel like there is something missing from my life. You know how I feel about this time of year.”

_“I do. Have you made any plans for the holiday yet?”_

“No, not yet. I was thinking maybe I could go for a drive, or something, just to get away, you know?”

_“What about calling Tash? Just for the holidays, so you won’t be alone?”_

“I already told you, whatever he and I had is long gone. She wasn’t comfortable with the fact that I also date men, remember?” 

_“I’m sorry to hear th—YOUNG LADY! PUT MY CAMERA DOWN! THAT IS NOT A TOY!!”_ Jean yelled in the background. Marie could hear her niece’s petulant whined response to her mother. Some fabric rustled in the phone, and Jean’s voice got further and further away. Marie chuckled to herself, knowing her niece was just trying to copy her mother and vlog. While her sister was away from the phone, Marie opened up the mail app on her phone, lazily scrolling through all of the holiday promotional deals and coupons. 

“Trash…delete...delete…”

One email in particular caught Marie’s eye. The title read _15_ _COZY HOLIDAY GETAWAYS-PERFECT FOR RECHARGING!_

Her finger hovered over the little box next to the email. It was sent from Airbnb, which she hardly used. It was one of those things she had always been interested in trying, but she never got around to it. Besides, with work, she hardly had the time for a vacation. Marie clicked on the email, and quickly skimmed through it, not paying any real attention.

_“Sorry about that!”_ Jean’s voice boomed through the speaker of the phone. “You know how Laila likes to try to copy everything I do, including trying on my makeup, and pretending to vlog with my expensive camera. What were we saying?”

“Um, you were just asking about Tash, and I told you that ship had sailed ages ago, never to return?” 

_“Right, right. Well, you know you are always welcome to come stay with us over the holidays. The kids would love to see you. I would love to see you.”_

Jean was the most gracious person Marie knew, always offering her home up to Marie. And her kindness wasn’t limited to just the holidays, no, she always was gracious with her year round. 

“I just don’t know…”

_“We really miss you—I miss you, M…”_ Jean sighed, and waited a beat. _“...and you know you would have the guesthouse all to yourself.”_

It was true. Marie loved going to her sister’s place. Every time she went to visit, she was able to luxuriate in the expansive guesthouse just behind her sister’s main home. The space was expansive, mimicking a property right out of a modern interior design magazine. She was able to do pretty much whatever she wanted—dance, yoga, and could even walk around naked if she pleased. Not for long, though, as her nieces eventually came knocking at the front door, begging to see their auntie. The one thing that gave Marie pause, though, was with each visit, she felt more and more like she had lost her way in life. 

_“You still there M?”_

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking.” 

_“I know. Was it another hard day at work today?”_

“Well, no more than the usual.” Marie pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, rolling her aching neck. “I was on my feet for longer than usual because some people from my tour group got lost and I had to go and look for them.”

_“Damn. When are you gonna leave that job Marie? You are so far above it.”_

“I know. I hate it, but the overtime pays the bills. Besides, if I go to a burger joint or the grocery store, then I wouldn’t make rent.”

Jean knew that Marie loved the view her apartment had, even if the river was a good ways away. It was nice to at least be facing in that direction. Growing up, Marie had always said that she wanted to have a view of the river. It certainly was no Caribbean Sea, but it reminded her of growing up in Haiti, looking out and seeing the water. 

_“I know you said you don’t need it, but we can always loan you some money, or help you out if you want.”_

“No, no, it's okay.”

_“I’m serious Marie. We will help you out with whatever you need. Anytime. All you have to do is ask, okay?”_

Marie stared out the window once more, her eyes growing misty. She knew her sister loved her, and knew that she would do absolutely anything for her. But it just felt so wrong, to ask her family for things that she should be able to acquire on her own. 

“Okay. Thank you, Jean.”

_“You don’t have to thank me. You are my little sister. I’d do anything for you. I promised manman and papa that I would always look out for you, so please, don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything at all.”_

“Thank you Jean.”

* * *

Marie sat on her couch, belly full of leftovers, with her legs tucked up beneath her. Christmas bells jingled softly as a holiday-themed ad played on the TV in the background. Marie’s focus was elsewhere though, scrolling through the comments on her sister’s latest makeup tutorial video. It was a curious thing, being related to someone who was famous on the internet. Marie often didn’t mention it to people, as she valued her privacy. People could get pretty strange when it came to having access to celebrities—though she didn’t see her sister as a celebrity. 

“That’s enough of that,” Marie muttered, closing her sister’s video. She yawned as she tapped on her mail app, opening back up to where she left off, in the middle of the email from Airbnb.

_What ‘cozy’ holiday getaways could they be advertising? Probably places that have nobody that looks like me…then again, this could be a chance to get away for awhile, just to recharge, as they imply. I could really use a change of scenery._

The featured places were not only individual homes, but also actual bed and breakfast locations. The email boasted cozy cabins in Sedona, quaint one-story homes in Palm Springs, and more of the such in places like Portland, New York, and Asheville. Most of the cities Marie had heard about before, all except for the last one. 

“Greendale?”

The photo showed an old yet well-kept home, completely decked out for the holidays. It looked like something right out of a holiday movie. Wreaths hung in every one of the windows, upstairs and downstairs, and lights were strung up all along the eaves of the roof. There were Christmas trees on the porch, lit up with lights, and there was a trail of mini lanterns leading to the front steps. It was like a painting, too good to be true. The only thing that was missing was snow. 

**_In the woods, you will find the Spellman Inn, new to our holiday lineup this year. Located in the sleepy town of Greendale, this vintage family home is run by the Spellman family—Zelda, and Hilda. Their family home is the perfect place for those who would like a traditional, cozy holiday. Visit spellmaninn.com for availability and pricing._ **

Marie didn’t go to the website initially, but instead scrolled through the Wikipedia page dedicated to Greendale. At first, it appeared that there wasn’t anything particularly eye-catching about the town, until she came to a section that was titled ‘Witchcraft’. Come to find out, the town had their own witchcraft trials, much like the larger nearby town of Salem. Marie took her time reading through the history, even when she started to nod, trying to stay awake. Reading through half-mast eyes, she got up to the part on the webpage that listed historic families in Greendale before she finally drifted off. 

* * *

_Marie was down the road that led to the Spellman Inn, bundled in a coat, with her suitcase in one hand. The black house was decorated, smoke lazily curling from the chimney, up into the frosty air. Marie pulled her coat tighter around her body._

**_How did I get here? I don’t remember making a reservation._ **

_The smell of burning tobacco tickled Marie’s nostrils, and she felt a presence. She turned around, and saw an older black gentleman. The smoke she smelled came from a pipe he puffed on. He looked vaguely familiar, and Marie couldn’t place where she had seen him before._

_His black coat was weatherbeaten, with holes here and there, frayed around the edges. It most certainly wasn’t protecting him from the cold air. Marie looked at the hand that held the pipe, and then down to his other hand, where he clutched a well-worn walking stick. He didn’t even have any gloves on!_

_Upon closer inspection, he appeared worse for wear, the slight hunch in his back indicative of age, injury, or both. His hazel eyes were focused on Marie, intense, knowing. Though he appeared every bit the vagrant, there was something sharp in his eyes, an alertness that gave Marie pause._

_“It’s too cold out. Here, let me give you my coat,” Marie muttered, unbuttoning her coat. The cold weather didn’t seem to affect him, and instead of moving, or saying anything at all, he just stood, a slight smile on his face. Marie got her coat unbuttoned, and was slipping an arm out, when she felt a gentle prodding in her mind._

**_You know._ **

_“What?”_

_The man’s eyes twinkled, and he smiled, nodding his head in the direction of the house. Marie was taken aback, and slid her coat back on, fully prepared to run. It didn’t even occur to her that she was in a dream, it felt too real, the voice as loud as day._

**_Michele Marie, this is where you belong._ **

_“How do you know me? Who are you?” Marie looked around, wondering why she hadn’t woken up from her dream yet. “What about New Orleans?”_

**_I know you, child. I’ve always known you. Even when you forgot about me. And now, it is time for me to go._ **

_“Wait...no, you can’t be!”_

_The man simply smirked, and took a drag off of his pipe._

_“But, but...what is all of this supposed to mean? How do I know I’m not just hallucinating right now, or that my griot went bad?”_

_The stranger smiled for real, now revealing a set of impressive teeth, some covered in golden caps. He turned and started down the path, away from Marie, leaving her standing there, suitcase in hand._

**_You know._ **

_His voice faded in Marie’s mind as he ventured further down the driveway away from her. For a moment, she turned and looked back towards the Spellman house, checking to see if all was undisturbed in her dream. When she looked back to where the man had been walking, he was gone._

* * *

Upon waking up the next morning, Marie woke in a flurry. There was a moment of stillness, in which she savored not having to rush from the couch just yet. Water moved through the pipes as the person in the unit above Marie’s moved around, most likely taking their shower. Marie reached for her phone, and unlocked it. She had a few text messages, some far too up-close selfies sent from one of her nieces, via her sister’s phone. It brought a smile to her face, and Jean’s words from the night before echoed in her mind.

_“...don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything at all.”_

But _did_ she need help from her sister? Maybe she just needed a second opinion. After all, jumping on the next flight to a random town she’d never been to based off of a dream wasn’t exactly the most sane thing to do.

Marie tapped on her sister’s name, clicking on the phone icon. The phone rang and Marie sat up, nerves twisting in her belly. There was a throbbing in her neck, and she instantly regretted not moving to her bed before falling asleep the night before. 

_“Hello?”_

Her sister sounded like she was in the kitchen, judging from the way her voice echoed in the background. 

“I need to talk to you for a moment. Do you think you can get away from the family for about five minutes?” Marie rubbed her hand over the side of her neck, trying to massage the angry muscles there.

_“Of course. It sounds serious. Is everything okay? You didn’t take a pregnancy test or something between now and when we last spoke yesterday, did you?”_

“NO!” Marie shook her head, and sighed. “It’s nothing like that.”

_“Then what is it?”_

“I...I just.” 

This was turning out to be harder than Marie expected. She knew her sister would never judge her, but something about the deeper implications of the dream scared her. 

“I think one of the _loa_ visited me last night, in my dream.”

Jean gasped from the other end of the line, and Marie held her breath, waiting to hear what her sister’s spoken response would be. 

_“Whoa…Marie...this is...wow”_

“Yeah. I don’t really know what to say.”

_“Well, who was it?”_

“Legba.”

_“Oh.”_ Jean let out a long exhale, indicating that she too had been holding her breath. 

“I’m pretty sure it was him. And I think he wants me to go to a place called Greendale.”

_“Hold up. Start at the beginning of the dream. Tell me everything.”_

Marie recounted the dream to her sister, starting with the email she came across earlier the previous evening. She told her sister the truth about how she had been feeling as of late, her longing for companionship, feeling like not everything was quite right.

_“That is a lot, M. I support whatever decision you decide to make, though. I know you haven’t practiced vodou since manman and papa lived here.”_

“I know. I feel terrible about it. Maybe this is the spirits’ way of letting me know that they still are looking out for me, that they still have my back even though I haven’t been as faithful as I used to be?”

_“I think that’s exactly what this is. And, you wanted a sign, a change in your life, anything. Well, now you have your answer. You know what you have to do.”_

“Yeah. I still have to book a flight, and I have to—oh _shit_. I still have to decide what to do about work! I think I’m going to just take all of my sick days and worry about everything when I get back. Ugh, but I just know that my boss is going to be depending on me being there for the holiday-themed tours...and then if I don’t show up, that means everything will fall on my coworkers’ shoulders...fuck.”

_“Girl. Since when have those people ever cared about you? You are the best employee at that company. Now it will be everyone else’s turn to step up to the plate.”_

“You’re right...I just, I don’t know what to tell my boss so that I don’t get fired.”

_“You know what?”_

“What?”

_“Don’t worry about it. Everything is going to work itself out. The loa have your back, and so do I. I know we don’t know anything about this place, but what we both know is that you cannot run from where you were called to. So, I’m going to book a flight for you to Greendale, and we’re going to get you to that bed and breakfast, so you can find out what comes next.”_

Marie’s throat closed up, unshed tears springing to her eyes. She was _so_ lucky to have her sister. 

“God I love you,” Marie croaked, everything still moving just a bit too fast for her. 

_“I love you too baby sis. Now, go make that phone call. I will get back to you when I have your flight information worked out, okay?”_

“Okay.”


	2. With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marie arrives in Greendale, makes some new acquaintances, and has a very strange encounter.

**December 18, Riverdale**

The airport was tiny.

It had one story, and about 10 gates in total, a mere slice of what the New Orleans airport was. Frank Sinatra’s voice crooned the familiar, jazzy strains of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”, the cheery music greeting airport patrons. Marie felt like she had stepped into a department store rather than an airport. Decorated Christmas trees were all over the small airport, with wrapped presents beneath them—most likely just decorated empty boxes. Pre-lit garlands covered every handrail, large red ribbons tied in bows segmenting the false evergreen lengths. Giant wreaths were hung in various places, and there even was a large red chair with a sign next to it that boasted meet and greets with Santa.

_Guess even weary travelers aren’t exempt from meeting Santa..._

Marie adjusted her coat over her arm, and tightened her grip on her suitcase. She could see snow outside, the white blankets visible through the frosted windows. Some people still chose to stand outside despite the weather. Not one who was used to the cold, Marie took a moment to put her pea coat on, buttoning it all the way up to her neck. Some other travelers near her were doing the same, though they all seemed to be in good spirits about it. With a huff, Marie stepped outside, into the icy air. 

Regret washed over her the instant the cold hit her, like tiny, biting needles. The frigid air snuck up into the spaces between her clothing, drawing all warmth away. Her breath billowed in front of her, and she wished she had brought a pair of gloves with her. 

_On second thought…_

Marie pulled her suitcase back inside the airport, glad to be back in some sort of warmth, and moved off to the side of the door. Somewhere, in one of her coat pockets, Marie’s phone buzzed. A text message from Jean.

**_Hope you made it safely! Stay warm!_ **

Marie typed as best she could with cold fingers, informing her sister that she had landed safely, albeit freezing. Her sister started to type back in response, and Marie looked up briefly, catching a glimpse of the cars arriving at the airport. 

**_How are you planning on getting to the bed and breakfast you’re staying at? Did you rent a car?_ **

_No. They’re actually sending someone to come pick me up. I was told to look for a black Jeep._

As soon as Marie pushed ‘send’, a black jeep rolled up to the curb, and she slid her phone back into her pocket. It looked like the car that Hilda had described to her on the phone. The only thing Hilda failed to mention was the small evergreen wreath that was attached to the front of the vehicle, on its grill. Bracing herself for the cold, Marie stepped back through the automatic sliding doors, and headed for the vehicle. A young man was already outside of the car, with the passenger door open. He was very well dressed, clad in a dark brown leather jacket, with a black turtleneck underneath. He wore jeans and leather boots that matched his jacket. On his head, he wore a sherpa-lined aviator cap, from which tufts of curly hair sprung out from beneath the cap. Color rose to his cheeks and nose from the cold, pink against his light brown skin. He smiled, flashing Marie a dazzling set of teeth. 

“Hello there. Are you Miss Marie LaFleur?” 

“That’s me!”

“Great.” The young man reached out towards Marie’s suitcase and made eye contact with her. “May I?” 

He barely waited for Marie to answer before he picked up the bag and carried it around to the back of the car, sliding it into the trunk. Marie climbed up into the passenger’s seat, pulling the door shut, relieved to be escaping the cold. Much to her surprise, the seats were heated, and she settled into the warmth. The windows had started to fog up on the inside, and Marie rubbed her hands together, reaching out for where hot air blew from the vents on the dashboard. 

“Alright,” the young man huffed, settling into the driver’s seat and closing the door. “Now I can introduce myself properly. I’m Ambrose Spellman.” He offered a gloved hand to Marie, and Marie shook his hand. 

“You already know who I am,” Marie replied, “but I will introduce myself again. I am Marie LaFleur.” 

Ambrose put the car into gear, and started to drive away from the airport. He glanced over at Marie, and focused back on the road.

“It is very nice to meet you, Miss LaFleur.”

“Call me Marie. Miss LaFleur makes me feel old.”

“Okay.” Ambrose reached for a knob on the dashboard, pausing before turning it. “Do you mind it I put on some music?”

“No of course not. This is your car, after all.”

“It’s my auntie’s, actually.” 

“Oh. I take it she does off-roading and outdoorsy stuff then?” For some reason, Marie’s brain decided to conjure up an image of a faceless woman clad in a flannel shirt, sleeves slightly rolled up. The shirt was tucked into a pair of well worn jeans, and where the jeans ended, work boots began. 

“Not exactly. She is very prim, yet not afraid to get her hands dirty. She can fix the cars, help Aunt Hilda with the plants, and repair things around the house, but you wouldn’t know it just from looking at her.”

“Oh. I thought you were talking about Hilda. When you said prim, I assumed...and the accents, I just…” Marie started to chuckle, and shook her head. “This is why it’s best not to assume…”

Ambrose laughed, a mirthful sound that put Marie at ease. “It’s okay. I was talking about my other auntie, Zelda.” 

Marie looked out the window, truly taking in the wintry expanse that surrounded them as they drove along. Everything was blanketed in white, and some snowflakes still blew around, sticking to the windshield. The dark green of the evergreens peeked out from beneath their powdery dusting, and a fog hung around the treetops. Ambrose drove them across a bridge, spanning a wide river. Marie looked down and could just make out that the river was partially frozen. A picnic table was at the top of the bank on one side, with snow piled high. On the other side of the bridge, a sign stood, off to one side of the road.

 _Welcome to Greendale!_ It said, in yellow, curling script against a green background. Marie turned and looked at Ambrose, a question burning at the tip of her tongue. 

“So...are there any black people here, in Greendale?” 

“Yes, a few.”

“Just a few?” 

“Well, there is me, my girlfriend Prudence, my cousin’s best friend, some other students at Baxter High, their parents.”

“Okay so literally a few,” Marie said, placing an emphasis on the word ‘literally’. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going someplace where I had to be careful going out by myself.”

“Greendale is actually very accepting and open-minded. You wouldn’t know it from looking, but people here are more liberal than you think...” Ambrose glanced at Marie cautiously before continuing. “This may be a small town but peoples’ minds are not. There even are some same-sex couples who live here.” 

_Thank goodness._

That put Marie at ease even more, and she leaned back into the seat. The heat that radiated from the leather felt like being enveloped in a warm hug, and she regretted having to go back outside into the cold.

“Hm. Well I certainly can’t wait to meet the rest of your family. I know it must be weird having strangers staying in your house.”

“We’re used to it by now. Besides, the house is big enough that we don’t even notice it really, not unless someone is making noise. Or taking a long time in the bathroom.” 

Marie looked back out the window, the scenery indicating that they were getting further into town. The homes they passed were decorated from the ground up, looking very picturesque. It was remarkable, though Marie was no stranger to over the top Christmas decorations. She did see them every year when riding through the French Quarter after work. But this was different. It was the kind of place you pictured when listening to the classic Christmas music, like “White Christmas” or “Sleigh Ride”. Songs like those made Marie feel nostalgic for a place she didn’t think existed, a place far away from the humid, sticky air, the backwater smell of the river, and drunken tourists who couldn’t hold their liquor. 

Marie yawned, and leaned back against the headrest, closing her eyes momentarily. A nap was definitely in order. Air travel always made her tired, no matter how short the flight. 

_I hope they have a comfortable bed for me to sleep in…_

“Did you have a long flight?” Ambrose asked, slowing the car in front of a driveway and putting the blinker on.

“It wasn’t that long. I only came from New Orleans, so around 4 hours or so.”

“New Orleans!” Ambrose’s eyes grew wide. “Gosh, I’ll have to tell Prudence to come over early.”

“Prudence…?”

“Prudence is my girlfriend. She, we—we’re both really interested in New Orleans, particularly Voodoo. We want to visit someday.” 

“That is wonderful! Let me know if you guys ever make it down there.”

“Will do!”

“By the way, just how interested in Voodoo are you? Because I see a lot of people every day who say they are interested, but are just there for touristy things. But perhaps you have done your research...and...wow.” Marie fell silent as the car pulled up the driveway, revealing the Spellman home in all its holiday-decorated glory. 

“It looks just like the picture,” she whispered, leaning forward in her seat, eyes wide. 

It did look exactly like the picture, only better, more beautiful, vibrant. White lights lined the entire roof of the house, on each eave, on every level. The roof had snow in all of the places snow could stick, which added to the overall Christmassy look. Pine garlands lined the banister that ran around the porch, holly berries and small pinecones woven into them. A wreath hung in each of the forward-facing windows, a red ribbon tied into a bow on top of each one. Smoke was curling from the multiple chimneys, indicating that fireplaces were ablaze, promising warmth. Marie found herself wondering how a place could be so perfect and she hadn’t even seen the inside yet.

“Wow…”

“Welcome to our humble abode.” Ambrose parked the car off to the side, where tire marks indicated that a vehicle had been parked there previously. 

“It’s _beautiful_.”

“It’s alright.” 

Marie caught Ambrose’s cheeky grin, and smiled, shaking her head. 

* * *

The first thing Marie noticed when she stepped into the Spellman house (aside from her own relief of being out of the cold) was the fact that it smelled like Christmas. Cloves, cinnamon, pie, and apple cider. It was hard to tell if the smell came from candles, or if something was actually cooking. Regardless, she felt like she had walked into the most perfect place to spend the holidays. It was _gorgeous_ , the 1950s theming with modern touches and accents here and there. The first thing that Marie noticed was the three Christmas trees upon entering. One on the landing of the main staircase, and two on either side of the first set of stairs. It was all quite breathtaking. Of course, there were matching garlands on the banisters inside, going up to the second story of the house. Marie heard gentle laughter coming from what she assumed was the living room area, and peered around the corner, still standing in place.

“Auntie Hilda! Miss LaFleur is here!” Ambrose called out. He held Marie’s suitcase, and started up the stairs.

“Oh hello there! Welcome to our home!”

The greeting came from a short woman, who appeared from around the corner, in the direction of where the voices came from. Clad in a red sweater, and a green dress, the blonde woman approached Marie with her hand outstretched. Marie shook her hand, smiling in return. 

“Hilda, right?”

“Yes! And you are Marie.”

“That I am.” 

Hilda had the most jovial face Marie had ever seen. Her smile was genuine, a small gap between her two front teeth, and Marie could instantly tell that her heart was true.

“Ambrose, will you take Marie’s bag up to her room? Third one on the right, across from the bathroom.” 

“You got it.”

“Let’s get you warmed up, love! You must be freezing!” Hilda rubbed her hands over the back of Marie’s, and released them, gently nudging her towards the kitchen. When they rounded the corner, they entered a kitchen and living room area. In the living room was a large fireplace, another decorated Christmas tree, and people lounging near the fireplace. There was a young couple with kitschy, matching knit sweaters on, who sat cuddled up together on the couch. In an armchair was a handsome middle-aged man who had streaks of gray in his dark, curly hair. Across from him was a chatty teenaged girl who appeared to be about 16 or 17. An antique gramophone stood in the corner, softly piping out “Christmastime Is Here.” Marie stood awkwardly in the space between the kitchen and living room, shifting from one foot to the other. Hilda reappeared again, this time with a see-through glass box between her hands. 

“Marie! Do have a cup of tea love! It will help warm you right up!” Hilda sat down at the kitchen table, and Marie caught sight of two mugs sitting there, along with two spoons and a jar of what she assumed was sugar. She took a seat across from Hilda, and folded her hands in front of her. 

“Here are all of the different types of tea we have.” Hilda opened the glass box, and Marie saw all of the different packets, each in their own little section of the box. 

“We also have hot cocoa, if you’re interested in having that instead, or if you just want hot water with lemon and honey, or just the hot water, that is fine too. Whatever you’d like, dear.” Hilda smiled sweetly before inching back towards the kitchen. “I’ve just got to…” she gestured with her thumbs, pointing over her shoulder. “...grab the kettle.”

As she watched her puttering around her own kitchen, Marie decided then and there that she liked Hilda Spellman, and could see herself getting along quite well with her. 

_Where is the other aunt Ambrose talked about in the car?_

“Hi!” 

A cheery voice came from Marie’s right, and she turned to see the blonde teenager who had been sitting by the fire when she first came in. 

“Hello.”

“I’m Sabrina. You’re Marie, right?”

“Hello Sabrina,” Marie nodded, not sure if she was speaking with a guest or a Spellman family member.

“I’m Hilda and Zelda’s niece, by the way. I just wanted to properly introduce myself.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

“Of course!” 

The teenager flitted off back across the room, taking a seat by the fireplace. A black cat slunk over, and curled up in her lap. She began to pet it, and picked back up where she left off in her conversation with the others.

“I see you’ve met Sabrina.” 

Hilda took a seat at the table, and placed a teapot down, as well as a plate with several different pastries on it. 

“Here, help yourself love.” 

“Thank you.”

Marie barely stifled a yawn as she prepared her cup of tea, and selected a scone from the plate Hilda brought out. Hilda sighed, and folded her hands in front of her, on the table.

“We do things a bit unconventionally around here, I’m afraid.”

“Unconventional is fine,” Marie mumbled through a mouthful of scone. She held her hand up in front of her mouth, ready to apologize for her manners. Hilda seemed unfazed, and continued on. 

“We usually have breakfast around here at 8, and dinner is at 5. I like to leave lunch open to the guests, so you all can explore other options in town—though, you might have to hold tight in a few days. We’re expecting more snow.”

Marie nodded, taking a sip from the tea cup. She could feel the tea warming her insides as she swallowed it, and she chanced a larger sip.

“You also can cook and make things here, if you like. If there is something more than just a simple sandwich or snack that you’re interested in making, then you can just let me know and we’ll work out ingredients, and groceries.”

Marie took a sip of her tea, and felt the warmth travel down into her belly. The holiday blend tea she’d selected turned out to be delicious, and she knew she would have several more cups of it during her stay with the Spellmans.

“Quiet time starts at 10, but that doesn’t mean you have to be in your room. We just like to have a time where we are mindful of other guests, in case someone chooses to go to bed at that time. Zelda, my husband, and myself are often awake past 10, as well as Sabrina and Ambrose.”

“I have a question, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not! You can ask me anything!”

“Is there someplace in town where I can buy a warmer coat, and possibly some gloves? I’m afraid my coat isn’t warm enough for the snow.”

“Ah yes. There is a store in town that I think you’d like. It’s called Madison’s. It is very fashionable and sustainable, if you’re into that sort of thing. There also is an outdoorsy type of store that carries more traditional winter outerwear.”

Marie had her phone out, and was typing down the stores in her notes app, and wrote herself a small list of things to look for. 

“I think I’ll go out tomorrow. Do people do Uber and Lyft around here?”

“Yes, but we do have an old car that you are welcome to use, if you’re comfortable.”

“Oh, um, yes, that would be fine.” Marie bit her bottom lip, and took a final sip from her tea, the need to lie down increasing by the minute. “Hilda, I really appreciate your hospitality, but if you wouldn’t mind, I think I’d like to go up to my room now? I don’t mean to be rude—I’m just pretty tired, and—”

“Oh love you don’t have to apologize! Here, you just leave everything right where it is and I’ll send up with a towel and washcloth for you, okay? It’s the third room on the right.”

Marie rose from the table, and pushed the chair in. “Thank you, Hilda.”

“You’re so very welcome. I do hope you’ll enjoy your stay here with us.” 

* * *

The bedroom turned out to be rather large, and it made Marie feel like she was staying at a fancy estate, or somewhere that was rustic and belonged to Victorian royalty. It was outfitted with deep burgundy drapes, a large area rug, and a queen sized bed. The best part of the room, however, was the fact that there was a small fireplace in the corner. Directly in front of the fireplace were some perfectly cut logs, that fit together like Tetris bricks. A vase with long matches sat on top of the mantle, as well as a lighter with a long nozzle.

 _That will definitely come in handy,_ Marie thought as she put her purse down on the bench at the foot of the bed, right next to where Ambrose had put her suitcase. The bed itself was impressive, four massive posts rose from each corner, and the headboard was ornate, designs carved into the dark, cherry wood. There were several decorative pillows on the bed, and Marie moved them aside, and let herself flop belly first onto the bed. 

For a moment, she let her eyes close, and wondered what her purpose in coming to Greendale was. There had been nothing else on her mind the entire flight over. It wasn’t a full flight, which left Marie with a whole row to herself, much to her pleasure. Most of the flight was spent with her looking out the window, wondering what was in store for her once she arrived in Greendale. So far, everything seemed to be going well, but Marie knew all too soon that that could change quickly. 

_I just hope that nothing goes wrong here. I know I came here for a reason, that I was directed here specifically. But for what? And why?_

A light tapping noise registered in Marie’s mind, just as she was about to drift off. She ignored it at first, thinking it was perhaps someone in a room next to her.

_Tap tap tap._

There it was again.

“Hello? Miss LaFleur?”

Marie opened her eyes. This voice was different, unlike those of the people she had already met. This voice was more monotone than that of Hilda’s, huskier, yet softer. Swinging her feet over the edge of the bed, Marie sat up, and walked over to the door. With one motion, she pulled open the door, revealing another woman. Both she and Marie took a moment to take the other in. 

_This must be Zelda._

She wore an all black ensemble—black turtleneck sweater, black pencil leg jeans, black socks and oxford shoes. Her light auburn hair stood out against her dark clothing, large swooping, voluminous curls. Around her neck was a gold necklace, delicate, with a small charm that was the letter ‘Z’ right in the center. 

“Hello…” Marie’s voice came out quieter than she’d intended, for she was locked into eye contact with the woman. Zelda’s eyes grew wide, and her skin grew deathly pale—dramatized by the fact she wore black clothing. Between her hands, Zelda held two towels, a bath towel, and a hand towel, the stack topped off by a washcloth. Her mouth was slightly parted, and her eyes grew wet. Marie reached out a hand towards Zelda, and set it down on her forearm.

“Are you alright?”

No answer.

Marie tried again, wanting to ease the other woman’s obvious distress. 

“You’re Zelda, right?”

The redhead gasped when Marie’s hand touched her, yet she maintained eye contact. The towels she held slipped from her hands, falling to the hardwood floor. That seemed to spur Zelda on, and at last she found her voice.

“I’m...yes…”

Marie had already bent down to get the towels, and momentarily glanced up. Zelda was still staring at her, as though she were frozen to the spot. In addition, she held her hand over the spot where Marie’s hand was, just moments before.

“...sorry.” 

Something shifted in Zelda as though an invisible mask was slipped back into place, her countenance suddenly unreadable. She stood straighter and her face grew stern. Marie rose to her feet and held out her hand.

“I’m Marie...though you already knew that.” 

“Zelda Spellman. Sorry about that business.”

Though she spoke in a clipped manner, Zelda still extended her hand towards Marie. She even managed a smile, though it looked more like a grimace. Zelda stiffly shook Marie’s hand, her mood still murky. Marie noted that Zelda’s hand fit with hers perfectly, and brought her other hand up to cover Zelda’s. She could sense something else much deeper occurring, but she couldn’t exactly put her finger on it. There was a pulling sensation in her gut that wasn’t unpleasant, just, different. She wasn’t sure she’d felt it before.

_Is she going to pull away? Is she upset with me? Disgusted?_

In a daring act of exploration, Marie let her thumb brush ever so slightly over the back of Zelda’s hand, testing the waters. The air between them felt charged, the electricity almost palpable, and all sounds in the background faded. 

The wet look was back in Zelda’s eyes again, and she blinked rapidly. She looked vulnerable. Scared. 

_Oh._

“I...I have to go.” Zelda pulled her hand away, and turned to flee down the hallway.

_Okay that was weird. Really weird._

Marie stood in the open doorway of her room for a few seconds. It was certainly turning out to be an interesting trip. With a shake of her head, she closed the door, and walked back over to the bed.

_What the hell just happened?_

Marie sank down onto the end of the bed, and stared at the small fireplace, trying to process what had just taken place. The encounter with Zelda was the most bizarre thing. It was almost like she couldn’t pull herself away from her, like she _didn’t_ want to pull herself away, even if they were complete strangers. 

_Maybe I’m just reading too much into it. I probably will feel better after some sleep._

Marie laid down on her side, just to rest for a few moments. She would definitely have to call Jean about this later, and get her opinion on everything. Marie let her eyes close, and tried to think of what she would do while in town. Not intending to fall asleep, Marie didn’t bother with undressing, or getting under the covers; however, even she could not resist the call of sleep, and before she knew it, she was drifting off into a dreamless sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😏😏😏😏😏😏😏
> 
> So I have crippling self-doubt in-between posting every chapter (it has been really really bad lately), and I’m just trying to keep pushing forward, so I hope you all enjoyed this.
> 
> I know I mentioned that I was working on a playlist to go along with this, and I think it is 90% done? I’ll probably edit some things. You can check that out [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/74t9HeqOG7ENOqXCFGrlDh?si=H5FE-eQ7Tbm3vzySZrMofQ)
> 
> Shoutout to Becca for being lovely and giving me a good post-read through review of this chapter. 
> 
> Thank you all who may be reading this, as always, for following along with this story! I hope you have a great week! 💜


	3. Night after night in such a cold world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda's odd behavior doesn't go unnoticed by Hilda, and Marie wakes up after her first night at the Spellman house.

**December 18, Greendale**

Zelda took off down the hallway, pulse racing, panic gripping her. She _ran_ , something she hadn’t done in ages. She needed to be alone, away from everyone and everything, just for a moment. Noisily, she stumbled into her bedroom, barely able to close the door behind herself. Her breath came far too quickly, and she was right on the edge of hyperventilating. Either that or she was going to throw up. At this point, she couldn’t tell which. 

She barreled through the bathroom door, causing it to slam against the door jam, and made a beeline for the sink. Her hands gripped the sides of the countertop, knuckles white, willing her heart to stop racing. Zelda looked at herself in the mirror, her face indicative of the tempest of emotions swirling inside her. 

_It’s her._

Zelda gulped, trying to take in fresh air, the walls of the bathroom seemingly closing in on her. Marie’s smiling face flashed in her mind, and Zelda shivered. Her forearm still tingled where Marie’s hand had been. She squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to remind herself to breathe.

_It really is her! And she is so beautiful._

With a defeated sigh, Zelda slumped to the floor, forcing herself to take deep breaths. Her slump ended up being more jarring than she realized, and her knees took the brunt of the impact. But she was too dazed and in a state to think about the pain. Not when _she_ was here, staying in her house. Zelda leant back against the cabinet that was beneath the counter, and drew her knees up to her chest.

_It’s okay, it’s going to be okay._

* * *

“Zelda what are you doing out here in the cold? You’ll freeze to death!” Hilda approached her sister, taking note of the several cigarette butts that were stuck in the patch of snow on top of the banister. The empty cigarette box was crushed between Zelda’s clenched fist, as she frantically took drags off of the remaining cigarette perched in-between the metal clasp of her cigarette holder.

“What’s wrong?” Hilda tried again, recalling the empty whiskey bottle she’d just discovered in the kitchen trash can prior to stepping outside. Not to mention the stumbling they heard coming from upstairs. Hilda didn’t know who it was at first, and went upstairs to check on everyone, room by room. While she was doing that, Zelda must’ve snuck by.

“Nothing for you to concern yourself with,” Zelda bit back. Hilda didn’t buy it. She saw the way her sister was shivering, though Hilda wasn’t sure if it was from the cold, anger, or both. 

“Zelds, I can see that you’ve smoked through almost an entire pack since you’ve been out here, and you’ve finished off the last bottle of whiskey. Something is wrong.” 

“Well if you must know,”Zelda waved her arm dramatically, ashes falling off the end of her lit cigarette.”I’ve made a complete and utter fool out of myself.” Zelda blew a stream of smoke out with a huff, and shook her head. “There. Happy?”

“I’m sure you haven’t“ 

Zelda scoffed, and turned her head so that she was facing forward again, giving Hilda a view of her profile. In the amber glow of the porchlight, Hilda could see a tear track on Zelda’s cheek, shining in the dim light. Knowing Zelda, Hilda chose not to bring it up. When her sister was ready to talk, she would talk.

“I have. You wouldn’t know. You weren’t there.”

“Well…” Hilda carefully sat her hand against Zelda’s shoulder. “I’ll always be here for you...if you ever want to talk.” 

Zelda said nothing in return, and Hilda started to pull her hand away. At the last second, though, Zelda grabbed Hilda’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. It was so fast that Hilda thought she had almost imagined it, for her sister turned back away from her, as though nothing had happened.

“I’m going to make some coffee,” Hilda said, hoping to entice Zelda back inside where it was warm. She turned on her heel and pushed open the front door, hurriedly going back to the warmth of the house.

“Hilda?” 

Lance Cerberus—or Dr. Cee, as he was known by most—called out from the living room. He sat comfortably on the couch with a blanket draped across his legs, and a Hilda shaped spot next to him. 

“Hey love.” Hilda rounded the corner and smiled at her husband, the look on his face endearing.,

“Everything okay? You were gone for a good minute there.”

Hilda rushed to the kitchen, putting the moka pot on the stove. After checking that the lid was secure, she turned the stove on.

“I just have to make this coffee…” she muttered to herself, making sure the stove was on the correct heat setting. Lance rose from the couch and went towards Hilda. 

“Hey.” 

His voice was warm, and filled up the spaces around the kitchen and inside of Hilda. She froze, relaxing when Lance’s slippered feet padded on the tile behind her, and she could smell his cologne. Two strong arms wrapped around her midsection, and she was enveloped by his warmth.

“Is Zelda okay?” Lance gave Hilda a slight squeeze, and she rubbed her still-cold hands over his sweatered forearms. 

“Yes. She just needed a moment, that’s all.” 

“I hope she is okay.”

“I hope so too.”

* * *

**December 19, Greendale**

Upon waking, the first thing that Marie became aware of was her rumbling stomach, and how cold the room was. All traces of warmth seemed to have left during the night, leaving Marie shivering in her coat. She was still in the same position she laid down in the previous afternoon, curled up on her side at the foot of the bed. It felt as though the heat hadn’t been on at all, and she wanted nothing more than a hot shower. Marie slid a hand up to her hair—which she hadn’t wrapped completely—and tried to fluff out the springy pouf of curls styled in an updo. She would definitely have to spritz it with some water and conditioner, just to make sure it stayed moisturized in the dry air of Greendale. Just as she was about to go check her suitcase to make sure she packed her conditioner, her phone buzzed. Marie reached across the bed, finding the vibrating device tucked underneath the folded top edge of the comforter. Jean had sent another message. 

**_Hey M. Just wanted to make sure you got all settled in. I’m sure you’re probably sleeping right now. Give me a call later when you get a chance. Love you._ **

Marie scrubbed a hand over her face, and yawned, before typing back her reply.

_I fell asleep the moment I laid down on the bed. Didn’t even shower or anything. Bed is very comfortable, and the people are exceptionally kind._

Marie pushed send, almost ready to start typing again before hesitating, as she recalled the awkward encounter she had with Zelda the previous afternoon. Should she tell Jean about it? It could’ve simply been nothing, and she was just reading into things. Surely people had awkward run-ins all the time. Surely.

_There was something else too, something weird as hell._

**_So you are alive then? ;-) I’m glad._ **

**_Strange you say? Do tell me more?_ **

A swooping noise sounded as her sister sent another text.

**_I’m just putting Zoe in the tub. Do you mind if I call you?_ **

A smile formed across Marie’s face as she pictured the toddler, little pudgy hands reaching towards the nearest adult while asking to be picked up. Zoe was the youngest of her sister’s kids. She honestly didn’t know how Jean did it, three kids under the age of 8. Marie locked her phone momentarily so she could look at the picture of her nieces that she kept as her lockscreen. It was from a Christmas-themed shoot from last year, one of several photos that the family had taken when Jean was featured in an article in Vogue. 

_My big sister in Vogue, with famous people._

Regardless of what accolades and acclaim her sister had achieved, Marie always saw her as just her big sister. Jean had the most level head of anyone Marie knew, and she never let the fame get to her, and made sure that her kids knew that she would always be there for them, no matter how rich or famous she got. Marie was ever so gracious that Jean was raising the girls to be emotionally healthy little humans. It would be all too easy for her to get caught up in her work, and to have a nanny look after the girls exclusively. Sometimes she had a sitter come over for a few hours, when she really needed to get work done. Despite hers and her husband’s jobs, they were hands-on parents, and provided a very stable home life for their girls.

**_You still there M? We can talk later if it’s a bad time._ **

Instead of texting back, Marie unlocked her phone and called her sister, wanting to fill her in on the strangeness of her afternoon upon her arrival yesterday.

“Hey.”

 _“Hey girl.”_ Squeals of delight sounded in the background, as well as the sound of splashing water. _“Zoe, sweetie, can you please not splash mommy? Remember what we said about keeping water_ **_*in*_ ** _the tub.”_

Marie laughed, knowing very well that bath time for her youngest niece meant that you were entering an involuntary water fight, one which you were going to lose.

_“M? I’m putting the phone on speaker.”_

“That’s fine. I’ll keep it kid-friendly.”

_“So. What’s up? Did something else happen with the loa?”_

“No, nothing like that. It was actually one of the people here.” Marie bit her lip, and walked over to the window, pushing the curtains aside. she winced, daylight reflecting off of the blanket of snow that covered seemingly everything in sight.

_“Did someone mess with you? Was someone being racist? Maybe staying there was a bad idea.”_

“No. It was one of the women who owns this place.”

_“Shi—shoot. I bet they are racist.”_

“No Jean, they aren’t. At least I don’t think so. Their nephew who lives here is black—though I know that doesn’t mean anything…that’s like the ‘I have a black friend so I can’t be racist’ argument.”

 _“True, true.”_ Jean took a moment, and Marie heard more splashing in the background, and even more giggles coming from her niece.

_“But what did she do? Do I have to come up there? I can be there tonight if you need me. I don’t want anyone messing with you.”_

“Please. You don’t have to do all of that.”

_“Good. Because I didn’t want to come up there in all that snow anyways.”_

Jean’s tone of voice got a hearty laugh out of Marie, and she could hear her sister laughing on the other end of the phone.

“It was weird because she acted like she was scared of me, but couldn’t stop looking at me. And she jumped when I touched her. And yet, she kept looking at me, and there was something else in her eyes.” Marie moved from the window, and knelt down in front of the stack of logs by the fireplace. For a moment she thought about how nice it would be to have a fire going, making the room nice and toasty upon her return from the shower she’d been anticipating since the day prior. 

_“You touched her? Giiiirl this is getting better by the second!”_

“Only to see if she was okay.You shoulda seen her Jean. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.” Marie almost felt light-headed picturing Zelda’s green eyes, and the multitude of emotions she saw swirling in them. 

_“I mean, you_ **_are_ ** _the prettiest one in the family M. Any woman in her right mind would react that way to seeing you.”_

“Oh _stop_. You know I can’t go around assuming every beautiful woman I come across is attracted to me. Besides she could not even be into women.”

_“So she’s beautiful.”_

“I, I just meant—”

_“Uh huh. Now you just have to find out if she is single.”_

“Stop it! Just _stop_! I know next to nothing about this woman! It was one weird interaction that probably meant nothing, okay?” 

_“Well. It seems that I’ve struck a nerve, hm?”_

Marie folded her arms and frowned, as though Jean could see the look of displeasure on her face. She hated it when her sister tried to play matchmaker, especially when all of Marie’s romantic ventures usually ended poorly. Her sister had enough to worry about. She didn’t need Marie’s love life—or the lack thereof—added to her list of responsibilities.

“I’m hanging up.”

 _“Wait! Hear me out! What if this woman_ —”

“Zelda.”

_“Oh, that’s a pretty name.”_

“Jean.”

_“Okay okay. What if Zelda is the whole reason you are in Greendale? I mean, people don’t usually react to meeting you like that, right? As a matter of fact, people don’t usually react to meeting anyone like that, not unless they were surprised to see them or something.”_

**_Damn._ **

“Hm. I suppose you’re right.”

 _“I_ **_know_ ** _I’m right. I’m the oldest, so I usually am.”_

“Ooookayyyyy,” Marie said, exaggerating the word while rolling her eyes. “I’m going to let you get back to your busy life as the oldest, and go worry about taking a shower, okay?”

_“I know you hate to hear me talk about relationship stuff, but what if this time it really is different M? What if you are exactly where you need to be, at this time in your life? The loa certainly wanted you there.”_

“Well...yeah.” Marie sat back on her heels, her pulse increasing as she re-lived her and Zelda’s encounter. “I uh, I gotta go, okay? Tell Pierre I said hello, and tell the girls I love them.”

_“Of course. Talk to you later M.”_

“Talk to you later. Bye.”

* * *

When Marie came out of the shower, she took note of the delicious smell that had started to waft upstairs. Aside from the scones and tea she had upon arriving, the last thing she ate was a small sub sandwich, before boarding her flight. Now her stomach was rumbling and demanding food ASAP. She did make a point to check her outfit several times in the mirror before leaving her room, wanting to look her best. Today she’d chosen an eggplant-colored turtleneck, tucked into a pair of camel brown slacks, that flared at the bottoms. To complete her look, she wore black leather, low-cut boots, and on her head, an olive green head wrap. She passed on a necklace, and instead wore two small golden hoops in her ears, and a few matching gold rings on each hand. 

Marie took a deep breath once she reached the last step on the staircase, and rounded the corner, unsure of what would be awaiting her in the kitchen. Sabrina and Ambrose sat at the kitchen table, talking animatedly over their own individual bowls of what appeared to be oatmeal. The couple from the previous evening were sitting at the end of the table, in a different pair of matching Christmas sweaters. Up close, Marie could see that the couple were very attractive, and appeared to be in their early 30s. 

“Good morning, everyone.” 

“Good morning!” Sabrina said, her sunny, upbeat disposition warming Marie as well as the room. 

“Hello Sabrina, Ambrose...how are you both doing this morning?”

“We’re doing well Marie,” Ambrose replied. He pulled out the seat next to him, and patted it. “Come sit down! Aunt Hilda and Dr. Cee were just finishing up their vegan breakfast.”

Marie wrinkled up her nose in response, and Ambrose held out his hand, wearing a cautious and reassuring smile. “Don’t worry! Usually we try to pick dishes that everyone can enjoy. They are just trying something different this morning.”

“Oh.”

“Besides.” Ambrose leaned in towards Marie, cupping his mouth with one hand, like he was going to tell a secret. “Aunt Hilda is probably the best cook in Greendale, so I can guarantee that you will like anything she makes.”

“Oh you!” Hilda said, tickling her fingers across the back of Ambrose’s neck, getting a shouted laugh out of the young adult. Marie smiled at the exchange, and directed her attention to the other couple at the table. They were leaning over a notebook, their heads nearly pressed together. The woman wrote frantically and murmured softly while the man replied in an even quieter tone. 

“I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”

The woman looked up from the notebook and her pen stilled. Marie raised her eyebrows, and just stopped herself from saying ‘wow’ out loud. A smile graced the woman’s heart-shaped face, which was framed by curly dark brown hair cut just above her shoulders. Her nose was small and cute, turning up slightly at the tip, and her mouth formed a pleasant pout. Across her olive-toned skin was a smattering of freckles, which were joined by color on her cheeks once she noticed Marie staring. 

“Hello. My name is Matilda,” she held out her hand for Marie to shake. Marie took Matilda’s hand and shook it, a flutter going through her. Matilda was one of those people whose beauty took your breath away at first glance, and continued to do so.

“And this is my partner, Alex.” 

Marie took Alex’s hand, and he leaned forward to kiss the back, his light green eyes not leaving Marie’s the entire time.

“It’s lovely to meet you both.”

As Alex released Marie’s hand, something rustled in the corner of her eye. It was then that she realized that someone else sat in the corner of the living room, holding up a newspaper. A gold cigarette holder was around one of the delicate pale fingers which held the paper up. A stream of smoke rose from behind the paper, followed by a _hmph_. When she turned the page, there was a flash of light russet hair over the top of the newspaper, which gave Zelda away. 

_So she is trying to hide..._

It was practically comical, and Marie nearly laughed out loud, forgetting their encounter just the day before. It had been odd, the way they locked in on one another upon first meeting. Yet there was something about those few brief moments they shared that made Marie want to know more about Zelda. As a matter of fact, she felt like she already _knew_ Zelda, despite never having met her before. They would definitely have to have a conversation again, a proper one. There was just something magnetic about Zelda that Marie couldn’t shake. Jean’s suggestion that maybe Zelda was the reason she was led to Greendale still was fresh in her mind. 

_Could it be the reason?_

Marie had to know. Her stomach twisted at the thought, both over the thrill of doing something exciting and unexpected, and also fear. 

“Here we are,” Hilda sat down two ceramic dishes on the table, Dr. Cee following her with two more dishes. Hilda sat down at the table, not bothering to remove her apron. Dr. Cee pulled up a seat next to her, and slid his arm across the back of her chair.

“Everyone help yourselves! Also, we did make regular eggs, but the meat is all plant-based!” 

Ambrose and Sabrina passed the food over to the guests, hospitably waiting before making their own plates. Marie was as curious as she was hungry, and placed a spoonful of each dish on her plate. She also helped herself to a bowl of oatmeal, and a cup of tea.

“So Marie,” Ambrose spoke from around a piece of toast. “You were just about to tell me about voodoo, and New Orleans.” 

“Um, well…” Marie looked around the table, unsure of if she was in a safe place to discuss such matters. For all she knew, she could be in the presence of Bible-thumping zealots. 

“Oh that’s right, you are from New Orleans. What is it like there?” Hilda wiped her mouth with a napkin, before stabbing at some vegan sausage on her plate. Marie looked around the table again, and took a bite of well-seasoned scrambled eggs. 

“Well…” Marie took a deep breath. “To be honest, I think I have overstayed my welcome there. It’s a beautiful city, full of rich culture and history…it’s a great place...”

“That sounds lovely dear. And what brought you to us?” Hilda asked. 

Marie was hesitant, but there was something about Hilda’s tone of voice that made her feel safe, reassured, like she was with people she could trust. 

“Well, I came here because I had a dream.” 

_Maybe I shouldn’t be telling them all of this personal information._

“Really? What kind of dream?” Matilda was suddenly interested in what Marie had to say, and sat up straighter in her seat.

_Here goes nothing._

“Okay so, I don’t know how any of y'all feel about religion and stuff like that, but I was raised in a house that practiced Haitian Vodou.” 

Now, around the table, everyone was suddenly interested in what Marie had to say. Even from across the room, Zelda slightly lowered her newspaper, her interest piqued.

“In Haitian Vodou, we believe in serving the spirits. Some of us refer to them as ancestors, others the _loa_ , or just spirits. It depends on who you talk to.”

“This is so exciting!” Ambrose exclaimed, and turned to look at Hilda. “I have to invite Prudence over before Christmas so she can meet Marie!”

“I know dear. She would love to hear this—sorry to interrupt Marie, but my nephew and his girlfriend have been fascinated with this for the past several months. I’m so glad you are here. You’ve probably made his year!”

Marie took a sip of tea, unable to hold back her smile. “It’s okay. I wasn’t sure just how much to tell you all. And I haven’t even gotten to the most interesting part yet.”

“Oh but you must tell us!” Matilda exclaimed, reaching for Marie’s forearm. Realizing what she was doing, she slowly pulled her hand back, a blush forming on her face. 

A faint scoff came from across the room, from behind the newspaper. It was followed by Zelda clearing her throat and noisily turning the page she was on, to cover up the noise of derision. 

“Well, you know how I said I came here because of a dream?”

“Yes.”

“Mhmn.”

“It wasn’t just any old dream. I was visited by one of the _loa_ in my dream.” 

“What?!” Ambrose’s eyes grew as wide as saucers, and his jaw dropped. “Who?! I mean which one?! I—oh my god!”

Marie’s heart was beating faster, her excitement almost on par with that of Ambrose. Before her dream, she really hadn’t been practicing Vodou anymore. If not for her day job, she probably wouldn’t have thought about it anymore at all. But talking about it again made her realize just how much she had missed it. With a deep breath, she began to explain the dream she had, in great detail, for Ambrose’s sake. Everyone sat rapt with attention, forgetting about their breakfast.

“Marie! I almost forgot!” Sabrina interrupted, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

“Don’t interrupt dear, it’s not polite,” Hilda scolded, shooting Marie an apologetic look.

Marie smiled sweetly in return, unbothered by the teen’s interjection.

“Yes Sabrina?”

“You’ll be here in time for the Greendale Christmas Celebration! It takes place every year and it is just the most exciting thing!” Sabrina clasped her hands together and held them up to her chest, thoroughly energetic. “There are both carriage _and_ sleigh rides, candied apples, ice skating, candy cane bark, hot chocolate, a light show, and the Christmas tree dedication ceremony! Plus there are cute photo ops everywhere which is perfect for instagram.” 

“It is indeed quite the spectacle, especially if you are into Christmas” Ambrose added before taking a sip of his orange juice. 

“That it is,” Dr. Cee replied. “It is unlike anything anyone can imagine. It makes you feel like you are truly in a holiday movie.”

The exuberance that everyone was expressing over the festival was making Marie think it was something that wasn’t to be missed. Her Scrooge-like feelings that she’d felt all month still lingered, though there was something about being in Greendale that made her feel better. 

“I suppose I will have to check it out, see what it is all about. What day is it?”

Hilda hurriedly put her mug down, swallowing her mouthful of coffee. “It is the 22nd. This coming Wednesday.” 

“Okay, so in a few days. I’d definitely better get some warmer clothes today then. Don’t want to be out there catching a cold”

“Of course love. We wouldn’t want you falling ill! As a matter of fact…” Hilda looked at Ambrose, and then back at Marie. “Ambrose is running into town today, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind giving you a ride.”

“Sure! That’ll be no problem.” Ambrose stood from the table and stretched, his plate already empty. “I’m going to go upstairs and get ready.”

“Ambrose don’t rush her! Let her take her time eating.” Zelda’s voice came from across the room in a commanding tone. Everyone around the table fell silent, and Ambrose shifted from one foot to the other, slowly setting his clean plate back down on the table. Zelda was seemingly unbothered, cleared her throat and folded up her newspaper. She didn’t make eye contact with anyone, and instead rose from her seat. 

“It’s fine” Marie replied, wanting to ease some of the awkward tension in the room. Sabrina and Ambrose didn’t react, presumably used to their aunt’s behavior. But Hilda made a face that let Marie know that she was disappointed in her sister. Zelda slid past the table and disappeared upstairs. The way the room was set up meant that she had to pass right by where Marie was seated at the table. When Zelda walked by, Marie could smell Zelda’s perfume, and her heartbeat caught slightly. 

“Don’t mind her Marie. She gets in a mood sometimes. We usually just ignore her.”

“It’s okay Hilda. I really am fine.” 

Marie’s eyes darted to the front area of the house, where the stairs were. Zelda was just about to turn to ascend the stairs, and when she turned towards them, she looked directly at Marie.

Marie’s heart fluttered again, this time in a much more pronounced manner. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes in an attempt to ground herself. 

_Okay. So that just happened._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am getting excited for what I have planned for this story. I just wish I had energy to match said excitement and plans L O L. Don't worry. I will still try to write as much of this as I can during the actual month of December. There are some pretty exciting things coming up in this story and I can't wait to get to them-but I have to remind myself to take my time to flesh things out.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you to those of you who have read thus far, or have left sweet comments. It really means a lot.
> 
> Also, don't forget, there is a playlist I made to go along with this story. You can check that out [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/74t9HeqOG7ENOqXCFGrlDh?si=H5FE-eQ7Tbm3vzySZrMofQ) if you haven't already!
> 
> I hope you all are staying safe (and warm) during these trying times. I hope this little chapter could take you away from the struggles of real life, even for just a moment! Have a great weekend everyone! 💜


	4. The storm is coming soon, it rolls in from the sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marie hits the town to shop for some proper winter clothes, and meets some interesting characters along the way.

**December 19, Downtown Greendale**

Downtown Greendale was just as festive as the airport was. The streets were lined with remnants of shoveled snow, the road not completely clear of the white stuff. Marie could see tire tracks imprinted into the remaining snow that lingered near the edges of the road. The sidewalks were mostly clear, with remnants of big, crunchy salt crystals scattered in a few places. Marie’s breath came out in puffs in front of her face, and she wanted to get inside as soon as possible. When Ambrose had parked the car—this time, the one that he and Sabrina used—he chose a spot that was towards the far end of the main road, where there was less activity. He and Marie exchanged phone numbers, and planned to meet back at the car whenever Marie was done shopping. She would text Ambrose when she was ready, so neither of them would have to wait out in the snow.

Christmas music was playing off in the distance, over where there seemed to be more life. The parking spot Ambrose found was across the street about a block down from Madison’s. Instead of asking to be dropped off in front of the store, Marie chose to ride the extra half a block in the car with Ambrose, so they could finish up their conversation. They were still on the main road that went through the center of Downtown Greendale, and there were still decorations and open businesses. But on this end of the street, things were less bustling. Perhaps it was because the businesses that were on this end were strictly that—business. Despite the quiet nature of the end of the road, so to speak, there was a small shoe store that boasted several winter boots. Marie made a mental note of the store, looking down at her own leather boots. They looked fantastic, but were nowhere near equipped for dealing with snow. Marie’s toes already felt frozen through the thin leather. It didn’t take very long before the cold started seeping in through her pants, and she wrapped her arms around herself. Marie started in the direction of the store Madison’s, but felt her the ground beneath her turn a bit slippery. The sidewalk was still slick in places, and Marie walked carefully, noting that she would never make it to the shops she’d intended to visit at her current rate. 

_Shoe store it is, I guess._

The trip to the shoe store proved to be advantageous, and Marie found herself leaving in black, thigh high snow boots, that were fashionable yet practical. There even was faux fur lining the boots, and it was on the cuffs that turned down at the top of the boots. Her feet were now enveloped by warmth, and she felt safe walking down the sidewalk. Marie now walked with a pep in her step, wanting to get out of the cold and able to get around safely due to her new boots. She came to a traffic light and looked across the street, towards the direction where Ambrose had shown her Madison’s was. While waiting at the light, a black Jeep that looked exactly like Zelda’s drove by. The crossing signal beeped, indicating that it was Marie’s turn to cross the road, and she hurried across, relieved to see that Madison’s was just up ahead. She hurried to the front entrance, and pushed the door open. A little bell sat atop the front door, and when Marie entered she was greeted by Christmas music and a warm gust of sweet, pine tree candle-scented air. The shop was empty save for an elderly woman, who turned around when she heard the bell signal Marie’s entrance.

“Hello there! Welcome!” The woman rushed over to greet Marie. She was very short, and had on a green sweater that was meant to resemble a Christmas tree, with tinsel sewn on accompanied by an array of multicolored pom poms. She shuffled rather quickly towards Marie for someone of her age. 

“You look like you’re chilled to the bone!”

“I am,” Marie replied, wrapping her arms around herself as if to prove her point.

“We can’t have you freezing dear! Come with me!” The old woman took Marie by the hand and over to the back corner of the shop. There was a small table with a red tablecloth draped across it. On the table was a stack of styrofoam cups, a hot water dispenser, and packets of tea, and hot chocolate. 

“Wow. Is everyone this hospitable in Greendale?” 

“Small town. We look out for each other here. Help yourself to some tea!”

“Thank you.” Marie sat her bag down and selected a packet of tea, peppermint being the choice for today. The old woman lingered nearby with a smile on her face. 

“I’m Margo, by the way. What is your name?”

“I’m Marie. Marie LaFleur. Pleased to meet you.” Marie sat the cup aside and offered a hand to the woman. Margo’s bony hand was warm beneath Marie’s cold one, and Margo gave Marie’s hand a slight squeeze.

“You are an absolutely stunning young lady, Marie! I don’t think I’ve seen you around town before. Are you new here?”

“I am, only temporarily, though. I’m uh, staying with the Spellman family for Christmas.”

“Oh wonderful! Hilda is a dear friend of mine!”

“Really? Well she is a wonderful person, so I’m guessing you must be as well.”

“You’re such a sweetheart!” 

Marie sipped some of her tea, and looked around the store from where she stood. It was quite chic, yet still felt like something you’d find in a small town. The clothes were gorgeous, and it was hard to tell that some of them were secondhand, as there were a lot of brand name items.

“So what brought you in to see us today?” Margo asked, genuinely interested in helping Marie.

“I’m looking for some more winter clothes, a couple of shirts, and maybe a sweater. I didn’t pack enough for this weather.” Marie bit her lip, a nervous habit she was trying to quit. She distracted herself with another sip of tea.

“Where are you visiting from?”

“New Orleans.”

“Oh my! I love New Orleans! My husband Jim and I used to visit there all the time!”

Marie tossed her head back, finishing off the small cup of tea. She threw the cup into the small trash can that sat next to the table, and rubbed her palms together.

“Why did you stop visiting, if I may ask?”

Something shifted in Margo’s eyes and she gave Marie a sad smile. “He died, a few years back. It just isn’t the same without him. We did everything together.” 

Marie instantly regretted asking, and wished she hadn’t let her curiosity get the best of her. Conversations about death were always uncomfortable for Marie—but not because she was frightened by the subject. No, her discomfort came from the deep sadness and longing she felt for her own loved ones who had passed on.

“I apologize, Margo. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”

“Oh it’s alright dear.” Margo shrugged, a smile on her face once more. “You didn’t know.” 

She watched Marie, a question on the tip of her tongue. Marie anticipated what was coming next, the dreaded question, and felt a weight settle in her stomach.

“So did you come here alone?”

“Yep.”

“Oh. No husband or boyfriend then?” Margo looked earnestly sad, and added “or girlfriend? I know you younger folks are into all sorts of things these days. Whatever makes you happy, I suppose.” 

“Nope. Just me all on my lonesome.”

Margo looked shocked, and even held a hand up to her mouth as she let out a small gasp. “Oh dear! That cannot be! A young woman as beautiful and as radiant as you?!”

It did hurt, if she let herself think about it—which is why she tried not to think about it. The friends she’d made it college were all married with families, and she really didn’t have anyone in her life who was single and unattached. Keeping in touch with them was a task, and when she wasn’t working she’d become quite the homebody, keeping to herself, her plants, her yoga and dance. Aside from keeping up with Jean and the kids, there wasn’t really anyone else in her life. Margo must have taken note of the downcast look on Marie’s face, for she was suddenly beside Marie, her palm flat on her back.

“Don’t worry about it too much dear. I’m certain the right person will come along. They just _have_ to.” Margo rubbed Marie’s back and Marie felt like crying beneath Margo’s tender touch.

“Thank you Margo. I hope so too.” Marie looked up at the fluorescent lighting that ran along the ceiling, tipping her head back to keep from crying. She took a deep breath, as though she were centering herself in the middle of a yoga session, and it helped.

“So how about I take a look around, and see what you’ve got?” Marie asked, wiping at her nose.

“Of course! So over there is our women’s section...”

Marie’s eyes followed where Margo was pointing, and she started to walk in that direction.

“Let me know if you need anything. We have a good amount of sweaters and long sleeved shirts there. If you don’t see anything you like, you can even check out some of the smaller flannel shirts in the men’s section. I’ll just be up at the front if you need me, alright?”

“Thank you Margo. I shouldn’t be long.”

There was nothing Marie disliked more than browsing the aisles of a store. It came as a surprise to anyone who met her, for she was very fashionable, and often dressed well. And yet, she didn’t like to take her time. She usually did her research before going to the store, called ahead to make sure what she wanted was in stock, and didn’t spend much time browsing. She was so used to being on the go that stopping to enjoy the moment was a foreign concept to her.

Marie bit her lip once more as she flipped through the long-sleeved shirts on the rack. She’d already picked up three turtlenecks, and one sweater, all within several minutes of searching. She even ventured over to the men’s section, and snagged two oversized flannel shirts, planning to wear them around the house with leggings. She wasn’t staying for so long that she needed an entire wardrobe’s worth of clothes. But, she’d rather be comfortable and warm, especially since she was in a climate that was foreign to her. 

When Marie walked back towards the front of the store, Margo was busy reading a holiday novel, curly, swooping script on the cover giving away the fact that it was a romance novel. Marie set the clothes down on the counter, and waited, rocking on her heels. 

“What can I help you with dear—oh! You’re done already? You sure you don’t want to look around some more?”

“I think I’m good, thanks.” 

Margo put her book face down on the counter, and turned to pull Marie’s selections across the counter, closer to her. She hummed under her breath while ringing Marie’s items up. The total turned out to be more than Marie expected, but she kept quiet, and smiled while swiping her credit card. Margo bagged her items, and 

“I do hope you’ll pop in before you leave, to say goodbye. I enjoyed our little chat.”

“Of course. Thank you Margo. I will see you later”

“I do hope so!”

  
  


* * *

_Hey Ambrose. Almost done. Just checking on one more thing and I’ll be ready to go. Give me about 10 minutes or so?_

Marie hit send, and hoped Ambrose would reply right away. She didn’t plan on being long, so she didn’t think it warranted a phone call. Sure enough, her phone buzzed in response a few seconds later.

**_No problem! I’ll get the car heated up so it will be warm by the time you are ready :-)_ **

_Thanks._

Marie looked up at the sporting goods store she currently stood outside of, and pulled open the door. She had had excellent luck so far at finding what she needed, and decided to stop in the sporting goods store in hopes of finding a good winter coat. It was a bit of a task, walking into the store with a bag in each hand. Lucky for her, she planned on wearing the coat out of the store, and putting her pea coat in the bag that the store gave her. 

When she walked into the store, it was considerably busier than the other places she’d already visited. It smelled like fresh cut wood, and there were mounted deer heads up on the wall. Some had Christmas lights woven around and between their antlers, and others wore Santa hats. Marie scanned the store trying to ignore the twangy, country Christmas music that was being played. White paper snowflakes hung from strings all across the ceiling, and the ones near the heat vents blew around wildly. Off in the distance, she could just make out what looked like coats and clothing, and made a beeline in that direction. She had to make a few detours, this store more popular than she imagined it would be. 

_I guess the people of Greendale are really invested in...fishing? Not in winter. Maybe they are buying sleds and snow clothes?_

She did see some people in line with sleds, and a few others with shovels. It was puzzling, but Marie pressed on, knowing that the longer she stayed in the store meant the longer she had to be out in the crowd. At one point, two children chased each other down the aisle, almost causing Marie to knock over a rack of fishing rods. The mother followed shortly after the kids, apologizing profusely. Too tired to comment or care, Marie just smiled, and continued on to the coats. It appeared that most of Greendale had the same idea, to buy a new coat, for there were not many options left. Marie could feel a headache coming on, from the stress of being out in the store during the holidays.

_Maybe I can just keep the coat I have now and layer up. Surely it can’t be worth all of this trouble. And what if the line is long?_

Growing grumpier by the second, Marie swung coats around on the circular rack, feeling her patience wear thin. Just when she was about to call it quits and check the men’s section, she came across a long, puffy, eggplant-colored coat. The tag boasted that it was stuffed with packed down, and trapped heat inside of it. Already tired from being up on her feet for so long, Marie glanced at the tag to see the size and pulled the coat off of the rack, laying it across her forearm.

_Maybe I should see if they have yoga mats here. It’s been a few days too long since I last practiced. I really could use a good session. Especially after all of this._

The store wasn’t massive, so Marie was able to stand up on her tiptoes, looking to see where the yoga mats might be. On the back wall hung skis, snowshoes, and canoes. There were even some kayaks that hung next to the canoes. Various oars were in a slotted rack to her right, and there were some hunting rifles on her left. Marie started down the length of the store, turning to look down every aisle she passed in case she came across what she sought. En route to the yoga mats, she plucked a pack of warm hiking socks off of a rack, as well as a pair of thermal pajamas. Her hands were completely full, making it even more difficult maneuver around the busy store. She dodged some more customers, and wasn’t looking where she was going, for she ran right into the back of someone, a man.

“Oh!”

“My goodness!” An accented voice exclaimed, causing Marie to jump back, palms raised in apology. She’d dropped all of her recently acquired items on the floor, and hoped that the stranger wouldn’t be angry. He turned around to face her, and Marie immediately felt uncomfortable. He was a middle aged man, very well-dressed, and had a three piece suit on. His hair was slicked back, and he wore a grin that sent shivers down Marie’s spine. His cologne had a spicy, oaky smell to it, and it overwhelmed Marie’s senses, making her long for the fresh air outside of the store.

“Well well, what have we here? I don’t believe we’ve met...” 

The man’s grey blue eyes raked over Marie suggestively, and she felt like covering herself up, though she barely had any skin showing. 

“No,” Marie gulped, not afraid, but put off, rather. She’d had men like this in her tour groups before. If anything, they were an annoyance, always pushing for dinner and a date, never taking no for an answer. She didn’t have to exchange more than 5 words with this one to know what type of man he was. 

“I do believe I would have remembered such a fine lady as yourself.” He stuck his hand out, and Marie went to shake his, nearly gasping out loud when he pulled her hand up to his lips to kiss it, his lips wet and lingering. The discomfort was very visible in Marie’s eyes, and she was certain he saw it. Instead of taking the hint, the man simply smiled, holding onto her hand for just a few seconds longer than necessary. Marie pulled her hand back with some force, not enough to draw attention to them, but enough to let him know that she wasn’t playing his game. His pride seemed wounded momentarily, but instead of addressing Marie’s reaction to him, he simply smoothed over his suit and coat, as though brushing away invisible lint. 

“I am Faustus Blackwood, and it is a delight to meet you, my lady.”

_Oh brother, one of these types._

It took everything in Marie to not roll her eyes right in front of this man, and instead she kept things polite, in hopes that their little exchange would be over soon. She did raise one eyebrow in scorn, though.

“Hello Faustus. My name is Marie.”

“Ah, Marie. What a splendid name. Now what’s a woman like yourself doing in this little backwoods place?”

“I rather like it here, thank you very much.”

“Hm. Where, if I may ask, are you staying? I can’t say that there are very many fine establishments that someone of your regard would find acceptable.” 

“Uh…” Marie was already uncomfortable enough without having this boundary-crossing man knowing where she was staying. Just when Marie was about to answer, Faustus spoke, but he looked past her, over her shoulder.

“Oh _goody_. This should be fun.” He muttered, standing taller. 

“Step away from her Faustus.” 

Zelda’s voice came from behind Marie, and she turned around, surprised that Zelda was there. The redhead was in a navy blue trench coat, and held an axe in her hand. She looked like she meant business, and Marie knew that it would be a mistake for anyone to get on Zelda’s bad side. 

“What do you want, Zelda?” Faustus spoke quickly, between gritted teeth. Marie looked back and forth between Zelda and Faustus, suddenly feeling like a referee in the middle of a boxing match. 

_There obviously is some history here between these two. Zelda looks like she is about to chop him up with that axe, and he looks like he has seen the devil himself._

“I want you to leave my new friend here alone, and go on about your day. I’m sure you have plenty of other things to be doing, other places to go and be wretched.” 

“You always were the most positive person in the room, Zelda.”

“Mmn, yes, I’m just _bursting_ with positivity.” Zelda’s mouth formed a straight line, and no smile or trace of civility could be found on her face. She was serious. 

With an exaggerated sigh, Faustus exhaled, and puffed his chest out. “Fine, if you insist, I will be taking my leave.” His eyes narrowed for a moment as he looked at Zelda, something dark and hateful glimmering for just a moment. It was gone as quickly as it arrived, and he turned to Marie, and gave her a thin-lipped smile. “Until next time, my lady.”

He turned and disappeared, down the aisle, not bothering to look back. Marie stood staring at his retreating form, not sure what to make of the exchange she was involuntarily a part of. 

“Here you go,” Zelda said, holding out the coat to Marie, as well as the other items she had picked out. Marie could smell her perfume, and it made her head spin. 

“Thank you.”

Now Marie got the chance at another close-up look at Zelda, and noticed color rising to the woman’s pale cheeks the longer she stared. Her hair was pinned to one side, curls framing her face. She was _beautiful_.

“I’m guessing you two know each other?”

“Unfortunately yes. It’s a rather long and distressing tale, and I’d rather not get into it.” 

“That’s fine, it’s your business, not mine.” Marie looked over her shoulder at the still not moving line at the checkout, and sighed. “I guess I’d better get going. I’ll see you later then?” 

Zelda said nothing, and stood gaping like a fish. She readjusted the axe between her hands, the handle suddenly sweaty. Her hands shook as she watched Marie turn on her heel. 

“Marie wait,” Zelda’s voice faltered, and she swallowed. Marie stopped and turned back around, waiting to hear what Zelda had to say.

“I do apologize for that deplorable behavior yesterday.”

_Does she mean when she freaked out the moment she saw me?_

“It’s fine, Zelda. I didn’t take it personally.”

The auburn-haired woman cleared her throat, and shook her head. “We usually have things prepared in advance of our guests arrival, and conduct ourselves in a professional manner.”

The way Zelda spoke, the clipped, proper cadence letting the words fall from her lips in a husky, sing-song way caused something to stir deep inside of Marie. Zelda kept talking, going on about niceties, and Marie let herself daydream for a moment, because why not? Everything around her moved in slow motion as she let herself think what Zelda could be like if she let herself lose control, and was at her mercy. Her skin looked powder soft, and her lips—

_No. I can’t do this. Not when I’m staying at her house. No. Wait a minute. Is she blushing? Shit._

“...and I can see that I am boring you. I will not squander any more of your time.” 

“What? No!” Marie exclaimed, involuntarily reaching out for Zelda’s hand. “I’m sorry. I just remembered something.” 

The moment Marie’s hand met Zelda’s, Zelda lost her voice again, the color returning to her cheeks. Marie swiped her thumb back and forth over the skin there and took her hand away, smiling as she turned to leave. She shot Zelda a look over her shoulder as she retreated down an aisle. 

“See you back at the house?”

Zelda nodded, mouth parted, the axe she meant to purchase still between her even sweatier hands.

“See you,” Zelda said softly, after Marie was out of earshot. From where she stood, Zelda could see the top of Marie’s hair from over the shelves, and knew that she was in line to checkout. Zelda looked at the axe between her hands and forgot for a moment that she even came into the store for a new axe. With a huff, she gripped the tool just a bit more firmly, and went to get in line. 

  
  


* * *

**December 19, Spellman House**

“Zelds you’ve been acting awfully strange lately,” Hilda spoke, careful with her tone. Her and Zelda were alone in the living room, as Alex and Matilda had chosen to stay in their room, and Sabrina and Ambrose were out with friends. Zelda was feverishly smoking a cigarette while pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. “You’re going to wear down the rug if you keep it up!” Hilda chuckled, trying to make a joke out of it, but Zelda only kept pacing, and taking drags off of her cigarette. Hilda sat with a pillow in her lap, holding it against her stomach as her eyes followed her sister back and forth across the room. Suddenly, Zelda stopped, and turned towards Hilda, her eyes staring off into the distance.

“Do you....”

“Yes Zelda?” 

Zelda scrunched her eyes shut, as though in pain, and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.”

“What is?” Hilda sat blinking, trying to catch onto what her sister was alluding to with next to no clues. 

“I’m...I just…ugh.” Zelda tossed her cigarette butt into the fireplace, and went to the coffee table next to where Hilda was sitting. Her hands shook as she pulled out another cigarette, not bothering with the holder. Hilda reached out and stilled Zelda’s hands.

“Zelda”

Zelda wouldn’t meet her eyes, and worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She didn’t pull away from Hilda though, which let the younger Spellman sister know that things were much worse than Zelda was letting on.

“Zelda it’s _okay_. _Tell me_. What’s the matter? I hate to see you like this.” 

Maybe it was the fact that it was Christmastime, or maybe it was her sister’s tone of voice. But something about the past week was weighing heavily on Zelda, and her usually hidden-away emotions felt raw and exposed, and she had to work three times as hard as usual to keep her tough exterior up. Zelda sat down, a frown growing on her face.

“I am not sure what is happening, to me.”

“Okay...okay, that’s a start, I suppose.” Hilda was willing to work with whatever Zelda would tell her, and waited patiently, giving her sister control of the conversation. Zelda smoothed her hands across her pants, and clasped her hands together in her lap. 

“I had a dream, a while back. Well, several.” Zelda shook her head, and stood up, unable to sit still. Hilda tried not to be disappointed, thinking that Zelda was going to flee the room. But, much to her relief, Zelda only rose to light another cigarette, and came back to sit next to Hilda.

“I’ve been having these dreams for some time now, and they are rather…interesting.”

Hilda nodded, listening eagerly. “Was there any sort of symbolism, a sign, or anything that could help us understand what the deeper meaning of the dream was?”

“No. But someone was in them, someone we have recently become acquainted with.”

“Marie.”

Zelda’s eyes grew wide as saucers, and her head whipped to look at Hilda, fear gnawing at her belly. “How did you know?”

“You’ve been acting so strangely since she arrived. I wasn’t certain at first, but now that you’ve told me this, I sort of put two and two together.”

“Oh.”

“You know there is nothing wrong with having dreams about someone, Zelda. As a matter of fact, I think it’s rather sweet!”

“Don’t you start, Hilda.”

“Wait. You said you’ve been having these dreams since before Marie arrived, right?”

“Well, yes.”

“And you _saw_ Marie in them? Like you could see her face clearly enough to know that it was her when you met her in person?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. _Ooooooh_. Zelda! Then it is meant to be! She _must_ be here for a reason!” Hilda squealed while clapping her hands together.

“Quiet! The rest of the house need not hear your mindless caterwauling!” 

“I’m just saying, Zelda. It could be fate. Remember what great-aunt Theodora Spellman always said about soulmates?” 

“Oh _please_. There is no way a beautiful stranger who has sauntered into our home out of nowhere is my soulmate.” Zelda said the word ‘soulmate’ with disdain, and Hilda had to cover her mouth as not to laugh in her sister’s face. 

“Oh Zelda,” Hilda smiled, shaking her head. “I think you should at least tell Marie about your dreams. After all, she did come here because of a dream. I think that means something.” 

Zelda rose from her seat, and left, automatically going to the basement, where their laundry room was. She needed to be alone, for everything Hilda was correct. Hilda was usually always right, though Zelda never would admit it. It would be too embarrassing. Though, not as embarrassing as her dreams. Her dreams were the best kind of dreams Zelda could think of, and she’d much rather die than admit what took place in her personal dreamland. In them, she was happy and in love, simply put. Her dreams were full of warmth, kisses, cuddles, and other wonderful things. It was a sumptuous sea of divine contentment, and she hated waking in the mornings, washing up onto the shores of reality. She felt foolish, like someone Sabrina’s age with her head in the clouds. She was far too mature to be daydreaming about a fictional woman. And then her dreams shifted, and she saw the woman’s face, and heard her voice. She was breathtaking, and Zelda had never seen or “been” with anyone quite like her before. And then “She” became a reality when Marie arrived, seemingly out of the blue. Zelda took a drag off of her cigarette and held a palm up to her forehead, her thoughts racing. Marie made her feel as though everything inside of her had been rearranged. She was completely taken aback from the first moment she laid eyes on Marie. In her heart she knew immediately that Marie was, quite literally, the girl of her dreams. Having something that seemed so abstract and far off become a concrete reality terrified her. And what was even more terrifying, was the fact that each time Marie touched her, she felt like she would be consumed by her own longing. Marie’s touch awoke something in her that she thought was long gone, a part of her that she had forgotten, and she didn’t know what to do about it. 

Zelda took an exaggeratedly long drag off of her cigarette, and pinched the bridge of her nose. How was she going to make it without embarrassing herself further or putting her neediness on display?

As Zelda paced downstairs, Marie mirrored her steps, upstairs. She too was thinking about Zelda, and the way she looked, the way she smelled, her little blushes. Marie was confused as to what it all meant, for she wasn’t one to fluster easily.

_I just need an answer. Am I here because of Zelda, a woman who can barely even be in the same space as me without looking like she is ready to run? What do I do?_

Marie sank down on the edge of the bed, and pressed the heels of her hands to her forehead. With all the uncertainty of her situation, she did know for certain that she was about to have the longest week of her life; however, she didn’t know if she was ready for what could potentially come next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I was, once again, feeling insecure about it, but what else is new 😬 At least I can say that there are some super fun things planned for the next chapters and I can’t wait to write them so you all can read them! 😎
> 
> Also, in my version of the Spellman house, the basement area that would be the mortuary in the show is their laundry room/bonus space area. I am headcanoning for this story/AU that Zelda goes down there to smoke and be alone. In addition, I know I made Faustus a character in this story, but I wouldn’t worry about him too much. He will not be so much a villain but rather just an annoyance that provides some backstory/emotional depth for Zelda’s characterization. 
> 
> Unrelated but I am terrified as to what will happen to Marie as well as her relationship with Zelda in Part 4. I know that worrying about it does nothing for me because it is already written and filmed and Done, and if things go horribly there is no part 5 to fix things, but Y I K E S. It’s eating me alive. I do not have a good feeling about things, even after seeing the first episode from that premiere thing. I literally have to go think about something else every time I look at the calendar and see how close it is to when Part 4 drops 😬🙃 (what I should be preoccupied and worrying over is my own life and the work I’m avoiding to be a better, emotionally healthier person instead of fake characters on a TV show, and yet here we are 😅🤡)
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate). Please stay safe out there, and I hope you have a great week. Thank you, as always, for taking the time to read this story! 💜


	5. They say that things just cannot grow, beneath the winter snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A storm is a brewing’, and it’s not just the weather! Also, Marie gets some promising information on Zelda, amongst other things.

**December 20, Spellman House**

Usually the Monday before Christmas was a busy day for Marie. But this year things were different. Instead of rushing off to a long day of sold out Christmas tours, she was able to lounge. She took her time in bed, relaxing, flipping through a magazine she’d picked up at the airport, not really rushing herself to leave the comfortable confines of her bedroom. For once she was feeling properly relaxed, and didn’t rush herself to leave the bed until around 11. When she finally did rise, showered, and got dressed, she noticed the lack of activity around the house, and the quiet that seemed to have settled into the foundation of the old home. 

Over the past few mornings, when Marie would wake up, she could hear quiet murmuring from Alex and Matilda, or Hilda and Ambrose’s laughter coming from downstairs, or the perky cadence of Sabrina’s voice. This morning, the only sound she heard was the creaking of the house, and the rattling of the heat as it turned back on, keeping the house warm. Marie took some of her newly acquired clothes in hand, and walked downstairs. She’d run them through the washer and dryer the night before, but some still seemed damp. She couldn’t tell when she first pulled them out of the machine, and had fallen asleep once back in her room. So, back down to the basement she went. The steps groaned loudly in the otherwise quiet house, and if anyone were home, they’d surely hear her. 

“Hello?” Marie stepped off of the last stair, onto the main level of the house. “Hellooooo? Is anyone here?”

In addition to the Christmas tree evergreen and fireplace smell that permeated the Spellmans’ living room, there were also faint traces of cigarette smoke.

 _Zelda_. 

Marie’s stomach gave a nervous lurch at the thought of her and Zelda being left home alone. Of course it didn’t and _shouldn’t_ mean anything, being home alone with Zelda. But Marie saw how Zelda reacted to her, especially when she touched her. Marie had to admit, there was also something enticing about the redhead as well. It was a curious feeling, for she hardly knew the woman. And yet, it was becoming increasingly harder to stay away from her. She hadn’t worked out if it was just because Zelda appeared to be attracted to her, or because of something else. Her gut told her that it was something else, but there was still some murkiness surrounding the answer she so desperately craved.

Marie’s feet were soft against the stairs leading to the basement, and the cigarette smoke smell got stronger as she went further into the belly of the Spellman home. When she rounded the corner, there Zelda was, her back facing the stairs. She was wearing a deep emerald green-colored silk blouse, with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. It was tucked into a pair of black high-waisted, pencil leg trousers. Her deep reddish-golden curls sat across her back, and a lazy trail of smoke drifted up from in front of her, where she held her cigarette on the holder. Her stockinged feet were kept warm by a pair of fuzzy leopard print bedroom slippers, something Marie was certain the woman wouldn’t be caught dead in. 

“Hey,” Marie offered in a nonchalant tone. Though she would never admit it, she was glad to see Zelda again. Even if her and the other woman didn’t really know what to say or do around each other, Marie welcomed her presence. Besides, she generated a warmth deep inside of Marie, in the best way possible. 

At Marie’s voice, Zelda whipped around, her curls bouncing, and had a sheepish look on her face. Color immediately rose to her cheeks. 

“Good morning...afternoon.” She nodded, and averted her gaze, puffing on her cigarette as she directed her attention elsewhere. Marie shot Zelda a dimpled smile, and readjusted the clothing over her arm.

“How—”

“I actually have to…” Zelda spoke at the same time as Marie, pointing at the stairs. 

“You don’t have to leave, you know.” 

But Zelda was already on the move, color painting her cheeks. Marie waited till Zelda had just walked past her to speak again. When Marie turned towards the stairs, she held Zelda’s gaze and watched as a delicious flush now crept up her neck, pale skin turning pink. 

“I’m...I just…I have some things to take care of.” Zelda was visibly uncomfortable, and turned to take off up the stairs in a flurry of smoke and perfume. 

“Huh.”

* * *

Marie laid back on her bed, phone in hand, with her feet propped up against the headboard. Her fingers flew across the keyboard on her phone, filling Jean in on what was going on. 

_Girl you are_ **_not_ ** _going to believe what happened._

**_What now? Did you or Zelda finally make a move?_ **

_No! Nothing like that...though it does have to do with Zelda._

**_Mhmm..._ **

_Well, she turned up in the same store I was in yesterday, by coincidence of course._

**_“Coincidence.” Sure._ **

_I truly had no idea she was there. She was shopping for other things._

**_I’m just saying._ **

_ANYWAYS._

_I was in the store the other day and this weird white guy approaches me. Smug as hell. I got bad vibes immediately._

**_Yikes._ **

_Well he introduced himself-_ — _which, his name was Faustus, ew-_ — _and kissed the back of my hand._

**_I’m so fucking tired of men being creeps._ **

_He was swimming in cologne too. I could practically taste it!_

**_Gross._ **

_He was. Self-important creep. And then Zelda showed up, and told him to get lost._

**_Your knight in shining armor M!_ **

_Girl bye!_

_But on a real note, I think she knows him_

**_Really?_ **

_Yeah. She was able to scare him off. They definitely spoke as though there was some past drama there._

**_Maybe they dated? Who knows, it’s possible._ **

_Let’s not jump to any conclusions. He could be an old coworker or something._

**_Well maybe you don’t have to ask her directly. Maybe you can ask someone else how they know each other._ **

_I’m not a snoop, Jean. I’m just trying to figure out more about the people around me. There *has* to be a reason why I’m here. Especially since I’ve been getting all of these very loaded messages from Zelda. I think I might just end up having to talk to her myself._

**_You should try to get her alone, and talk things out once and for all. There probably is something she isn’t telling you._ **

_You’re probably right. It’s like she is afraid of me, but she also can’t pull herself away. Something else is definitely going on._

**_Something else *is* going on, and it’s called destiny._ **

_Oh please. I don’t think it’s that. I’ll just try to talk to Zelda sometime, and will let you know what happens. Gotta go now. Will text you later._

**_Talk to you later M. Stay safe out there._ **

  
  


* * *

After some poking around in the kitchen, Marie was able to put together a late lunch of a turkey sandwich. Persistent snow flurries had occurred sporadically throughout the morning and afternoon, and there was a thick fog that was low to the ground. Despite the weather, all Marie could think about was going back into town. She’d been wanting to return since she arrived home the day before, only to realize that she’d forgotten to get the yoga mat. Sure, she could do yoga without the mat, but she really wanted one, just to make things more comfortable for herself during the rest of her trip. The run-in she’d had with Zelda and Faustus made her forget the rest of the things on her list. Well, being around Zelda made her forget everything, and it caused her to grow hot under the collar any time the woman was in the room.

Clad in her new coat, a turtleneck, and jeans, and her new boots, Marie shuffled down the hallway, the soft noise of the coat loud in the otherwise quiet house. Earlier, when she made herself her lunch, she took the opportunity to make an extra sandwich for Zelda, just in case she was hungry. Marie didn’t smell anything cooking when she first came downstairs, and Zelda didn’t leave her room at any point while Marie was downstairs alone.

“Zelda?”

_She has to be hungry, at the least._

Marie walked up to Zelda’s bedroom door—the only room with music coming from it—and knocked three times. There was no answer at first, but Marie could hear fabric rustling, and the floor creaking as Zelda moved around the room. She readjusted the plate with the sandwich on it and put a smile on her face. Marie studied the band of golden light glowing from underneath Zelda’s bedroom door, wondering what awaited her on the other side. She wasn’t ready for the door to swing open, or the sight that greeted her, though. 

“Yes.”

There Zelda stood, in a midnight blue nightgown and a black silk robe. She looked angelic. The nightgown plunged slightly, and was definitely ill-equipped for the cold weather. But the warm, inviting air that emanated from the bedroom told Marie that Zelda was quite comfortable in her current attire. Soft jazz music came from somewhere in her bedroom, and Zelda looked more relaxed than Marie had seen her to date. Her hair was pinned up, errant strands escaping to fall in wisps around her face, and she smelled _really_ good. Just over Zelda’s shoulder, Marie could see a large fireplace, which contained the source of the heat. The room was inviting, and it smelled like Zelda had just taken a bath, for humidity lingered amongst the traces of soap and perfume scented air. Across from her, Zelda stood watching and waiting, and slid her palm up onto the door frame, leaning to one side. Behind Zelda, smoke rose from an ashtray that sat near the edge of a low table, next to a pile of open magazines. A glass tumbler and decanter were also on the table, the glass filled with dark amber-colored liquid. From the looks of it, Marie had interrupted Zelda’s personal leisure time. 

_Focus Marie._

Zelda cleared her throat, and looked at the plate Marie held. Marie stood straighter and met Zelda’s gaze.

“I uh, I made you this...in case you were hungry.”

Zelda pursed her lips, her face unreadable, giving Marie pause. 

_Is she upset? Maybe I’ve made a mistake._

The faintest trace of a smile whispered across Zelda’s lips before it was gone in a flash, and Marie almost thought she had imagined it. Marie let her eyes travel down from Zelda’s face, down the column of her neck, and to her chest. She swallowed as she took in the milky skin, and forced herself to look back at Zelda’s face. Zelda took the plate from Marie’s hands, her fingertips purposefully brushing over the back of Marie’s while taking the ceramic dish. 

“Thank you, Marie.”

Zelda’s voice was shades darker now, and the way her name fell from Zelda’s lips ignited a quick spreading flame, one which warmed Marie through all her layers of clothing. She stood silently in waiting, and watched as Zelda sauntered off to set the plate down on a small footstool that was near her fireplace. 

“You’re welcome, Marie muttered, barely resisting the urge to crane her neck to get a better look inside of Zelda’s bedroom. She stood, silently waiting until Zelda was standing in front of her once more before speaking again. 

“So I’m heading out into town, because I forgot some things yesterday.”

Zelda studied her, leaning against the doorframe in a way that made Marie’s mouth grow dry, while other places grew wet. 

“I just wanted to let someone know. Especially since…” Marie gestured with her hand, as though she were giving a presentation on the blank space next to her. “ And Ambrose left the car here since he is out, and I just thought I’d use that..I just thought it would be good to let you know, since no one else is around.”

“Hm. I do hope you won’t be long.” The darker tone was back to Zelda’s voice, and Marie raised her eyebrows, trying to ignore her body’s response to Zelda’s voice. Upon seeing Marie’s reaction, Zelda realized immediately how the words she just said must have been taken.

“And why is that?” 

Ever the tease, Marie took another step forward. Below her waist, she felt like she was physically standing _in_ the fireplace that burned bright in Zelda’s bedroom, just feet away. She was close enough to Zelda now that she could see every fine line and wrinkle on her face, and just how wide her pupils had grown. The green of Zelda’s eyes seemed darker, and Marie was ready to dive into the viridian depths.

_Fuck._

Momentarily tongue-tied, Marie started to wonder what Zelda tasted like. The redhead was clearly flustered, the now all too familiar pink blossoming across her cheeks, and even over her decolletage. She blinked rapidly, and wet her lips before speaking to Marie again. 

“We’re expecting...some more snow…” Zelda looked like her throat was also dry, for Marie could visibly see her swallow as she squeezed out each word. “Wouldn’t want you to get stuck out there.”

Marie decided to play along even further, and see what kind of reaction she could get out of the woman, to try to gauge her interest. 

“You almost sound like you are worried about me.” 

Zelda inhaled sharply, and crossed her arms, trying her best no-nonsense glare on Marie. It failed, of course, just like most of Zelda’ paper-thin attempts at self-control when Marie was around.

“Have you ever driven in snow before?”

“No, but—”

“Well it can be very dangerous out there,” Zelda’s tone grew warmer, and a small wrinkle formed between her eyebrows. Despite the draconian stance she took, her eyes told a different story. Instead of a steely gaze, there was softness, and genuine worry there. 

“Besides. We wouldn’t want to be met with a lawsuit, should anything happen to you.”

Now Marie couldn’t tell if Zelda was serious or joking, but regardless, she was touched by Zelda’s kindness.

“I’ll be alright Zelda. Thank you though.” 

“Hmph.”

Marie left Zelda standing in the doorway with her arms folded, chest heaving, and full of desire. 

* * *

**Downton Greendale**

_I should have listened to Zelda and just stayed at the house. Fuck._

Marie tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, her brows brought together in a frown. Of course she would be the one to go out in inclement weather, being the headstrong adventurer that she was. She needed that yoga mat, and knew that she would not last one more day without doing some yoga. Especially not with Zelda looking the way she did. After their encounter in Zelda’s bedroom doorway, Marie knew that one of them was going to crack soon, and she didn’t want it to be her.

_A few yoga sessions and some meditation and I should be good to go._

Marie put the blinker on, and slowly changed lanes. The fog was thick and traffic was slow. Yesterday’s 30 minute drive into town turned out to be an hour drive in current conditions. When there wasn’t traffic, there was low visibility. When there was better visibility, there was stop and go traffic. No one was driving above 15 mph, for fear of ice on the roads. Marie had never driven in such conditions before, and she was slightly terrified. Especially since the winter sun was starting to set, and it would be getting dark soon. From the passenger seat next to her, Marie’s phone’s GPS app indicated that she should keep ahead on the same road she was on, and that she was still on the fastest route. Normally, when stuck in traffic, she would be on a tour bus at work. But this time, she was alone, in a car with barely working heat, trying to navigate the unpredictable streets of Greendale. Silent prayers to no one in particular were muttered under Marie’s breath all the way up until the moment she pulled into a parking spot. The wind had picked up again, and a lot of the stores looked like they were closing early, anticipating the rest of the promised snow. When Marie opened the car door—the older vehicle that Ambrose and Sabrina usually used—the wind was so strong that she almost decided to turn around and head back to the house.

_I came all this way. I might as well just grab what I need as quickly as possible and then leave._

Marie zipped and snapped her coat all the way up, even managing to partially pull the hood up over her hair. She all but ran to the front door of the sporting goods store, and pushed it open, eager to get inside. 

“It’s gettin’ pretty bad out there.”

The voice came from around the corner of a display, revealing itself to belong to a heavier, late middle-aged man. He looked like a lumberjack, in his flannel shirt and fur-lined cap. Marie could smell cigarettes on him, and he had his thumbs hooked through the belt loops of his jeans. 

“It is getting scary out there,” she agreed, curious as to with whom she was speaking.

“You’re not from around here I’m guessing.”

Marie looked around the store, not seeing any other customers around. The familiar fear of being potentially in danger manifested as a sour taste in the back of her mouth, and Marie took a step back. You could never be too careful, travelling around a new place as a single black woman. The man picked up on Marie’s silent distress and raised his palms in surrender. 

“I’m not gonna hurt you or nothin’. You’re safe here. I just never seen you around here until the other day, that’s all.”

“Oh.” Marie was able to smile, and let her guard down somewhat. “Yeah, I was here the other day. I just forgot something, that’s all. Do you work here?”

“Yep. My husband and I have owned this place for the past 40 years.”

“Wow, wow. That’s amazing. I’m Marie by the way.”

“Stanley. Nice to meet ya.” 

Marie quickly shook the man’s hand, and turned to look back outside as the wind continued to howl outside. 

“Storm is gettin’ nasty. Most of the locals are at home for the night. That’s how I knew you weren’t from around here.”

“Oh! Well…” Marie suddenly felt rather foolish, but resigned herself to the fact that she already committed to driving into town, so she might as well get what she came for. “I just came in here to grab a yoga mat. Do you have any of those here?”

“We most certainly do. Let me go and git ya one.”

“Oh that’s okay. I can go and pick one out—”

“Oh no, I insist! You’re new here in town!” Before Marie could protest or follow Stanley across the shop, he’d disappeared. The store was much quieter and cleaner when half of the town wasn’t in it, Marie noted.

_Especially not Faustus._

Just thinking of the vile man with the heavy cologne was enough to make Marie shiver as though she had no coat on at all. She stared at a spot on the floor and recalled how attractive Zelda was with the axe in hand, with that stern look on her face. For a moment, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, in an attempt to calm her racing heart. When she opened them again, Stanley was already returning with an armful of colorful yoga mats.

“Here we are Miss Marie.” He sat the mats down on the front counter, before stepping behind the counter. “You can take your pick here. I know it isn’t much, but I hope we’ll have somethin’ to your liking.” 

“Thank you Stanley. I think I’ll take this one here,” Marie reached for a purple mat, and moved it away from the others on the counter.

“D’ya need anything else while you’re down here? Maybe a shovel for the snow, or any tools?”

“I think I’m fine. I’m actually staying with the Spellmans, and they kind of have everything I need.”

“Ah yes, the Spellmans. Good people.”

“You know them well? You said you’ve lived here a long time?” Marie wasn’t one to snoop in others’ business, but talking with Stanley could be an opportunity to get some more information on the family. Jean did suggest that she try to find out more about Zelda, and maybe this man knew something that could give Marie just the tiniest bit of insight. 

“Definitely. I reckon my family has been in town just as long as theirs has.”

Marie nodded, and pulled her wallet out of her purse. While zipping it open, she decided to prod just a bit more, her curiosity getting the best of her.

“Hilda is very kind, and so are her niece and nephew. They seem to be lovely kids.” Marie smiled as she stuck her credit card in the reader, and waited for the machine to beep its approval. 

“Hilda Spellman is one of my dearest friends. She was there for me when I first met Owen, and was the first person I told about falling in with him. What an angel she is.” Stanley cleared his throat, his voice shaking. “You see, people weren’t as acceptin’ 20-25 years ago as they are now. This town has turned around quite a lot.”

“I know,” Marie replied, feeling safer by the minute. “I mean, about people not being accepting. I actually never told my parents that I uh, date women, as well as men.”

“I just _knew_ there was something different about you!” Stanley exclaimed. “I knew you were one of us!” 

Marie shrugged, and pulled her card out of the credit card reader. “What can I say. I am not picky when it comes to lovers.”

Stanley printed out her receipt, and passed one across the counter to her, along with an ink pen for her to sign. 

“You know, that Zelda Spellman isn’t one to be picky either. She likes to keep things under wraps; however, this is a small town, and word gets around fast. Especially amongst those who are like us.”

_Zelda likes women?!_

The news made Marie’s heart catch in her chest, for maybe, just maybe there was hope. 

_No, I need to not think like this. I can’t expect some stranger to be the answer to all of my problems...but then again, I was led here for a reason. Maybe Zelda really is that reason?_

“Do you want your copy of the receipt?”

A particularly loud gust of wind howled, rattling the front door, causing both Marie and Stanley to look over to where some snowflakes blew in between the doors. The sun had just set, and the street lights were flickering to life. The Christmas lights that were strung up on the buildings and in trees whipped around in the wind. A tightening feeling began to blossom in Marie’s chest as she anticipated the drive ahead of her. 

“Shit. I think I’d better leave.”

“You sure you’re okay drivin’ in this? You can always crash with Owen and I. We have a cabin not too far from here, prolly a 10 minute drive. You’re always welcome to take our guest bedroom. We haven’t had guests in so long, dear me...Owen would love the company…” Stanley chattered on, and Marie considered her options. She would be much more comfortable at the Spellman house, though staying to wait until things died down would be a better option. 

“I’ll be fine Stanley, thanks.” Marie grabbed the yoga mat off of the countertop and tucked it under her arm. “I guess I’ll be seeing you again?”

“I sure hope so! Owen would love to meet you.”

“I would love to meet him too...but right now I need to leave.”

“Please be careful out there!” 

“Thank you!” Marie mentally readied herself for the cold as she pushed open the door. The unwelcome air instantly chilled her skin, and her nose started to run. She held a hand up in front of her eyes while putting one foot in front of the other, pushing on towards the car. There hardly were any other vehicles on the street now, just a few that were leaving the downtown area. Marie got back in the car as quickly as possible, her fingertips numb from being out in the cold. She jimmied the key in the lock, all but jumping inside of the car and immediately pulling the door closed. The car was cold, but at least it provided her some shelter from the blustery wind that had picked up. Her hand shook even as she stuck the key in the ignition, and turned it to start the car. At the first attempt, the car sputtered, dashboard lights momentarily flashing on before turning off. 

“Come on,” Marie muttered, turning the key once more. Again, the car sputtered, the starter not turning over. 

“Fuck. Okay.” With her eyes squeezed shut, Marie took an inhale and blew it out slowly. “Please let it work this time.” 

She turned the key in the ignition, holding it in the starting position for a split second longer than she previously did, and the car jolted, finally starting up. 

“Thank goodness.” 

Marie put on the defrosters for the front and rear windows, hoping that the less than warm air would do something to clear away foggy windows.

“I guess I am talking to myself now,” Marie put the car in reverse, carefully backing out of the parking spot. Since the streets were virtually empty, she was able to back out all the way to the other side of the street, where she was facing in the correct direction. 

“Okay, you can do this. It’s just going to be an hour long drive back to the house, and then everything will be fine.” 

At the corner, the light was red, and Marie rolled to a stop, taking a moment to check her phone. There were no new messages, and she wished she had at least taken a moment to get Zelda’s cell phone number, should she need it. Normally, Marie kept an exceptionally level head when faced with a snafu; besides, getting worked up only complicated situations and got everyone all riled up. But this was different. She’d never driven in snow before, let alone at night. She was scared, and all she could think of the whole time she drove was how she wished she stayed back at the house. 

Christmas music played quietly from the radio, and Marie tried to sing along, to distract herself from her current predicament. But not even Karen Carpenter’s dulcet tones could keep her fear anxieties at bay. She started to shake again, but not from the cold. Now she was past downtown, just on the outskirts, and everything was dark and visibility was poor. She kept driving along, at a slow but steady pace, should there be ice up ahead. Suddenly, the car began to slow, the engine sputtering, lights flashing. 

_No! Nononono._

Marie slammed her palm on the dash, knowing it wouldn’t do much. The lights flashed again before the car began to slow down, the engine dying. Marie put her foot on the brakes and tried to guide the car off to the side of the road, so she wouldn’t be sitting out in the oncoming traffic. For a few terrifying seconds, the tires weren’t gaining traction on the road, and Marie just coasted along, her foot pushed all the way down on the brake. Thankfully, as the car slowed, she was able to get control over it once more. When it finally stopped and she was safely out of harm’s way, she pulled her phone out, her first response being to run to the internet to see what to do next.

_Of course the webpage won’t load. Fuck._

Either she could call for help, or she could try calling the Spellman house. 

_Would Zelda even answer?_

Marie bit down on her lip, her shivering now more out of fear than the cold weather. She scrolled through her call log, and found the number she had dialed days ago, back when she was still at home in New Orleans, far from the icy streets of Greendale. 

The phone rang, and Marie put the phone on speaker, watching the length of the call increase as no one picked up the phone. 

_“Hi, you’ve reached the Spellman household! We’re sorry we missed your call. Leave us a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible! Thanks!”_

Hilda’s cheery voice filled the car, and Marie’s stomach sank. Her heart was beating a steady thrumming all the way up in her throat now, and she hung up and tried calling back to the house once more. 

Again, the phone rang repeatedly. Once again, the voice mail message played, the phone going unanswered. Visions of tragedy flooded Marie’s mind, as she imagined all of the ways things could go wrong, resulting in her never making it back to the Spellman house, let alone New Orleans. A slow throbbing started as her blood pressure rose, heart all but rattling against her ribcage.

_I have to calm down. This is not a time to be freaking out. I have to think of something positive. Jean. Jean and the girls. Haiti, Maman and Papa. The beach._

Marie closed her eyes, and hoped to any _loa_ who was listening that someone would answer the phone. 

“Please. _Please_ pick up.” 

_“This is the Spellman residence. Zelda speaking. How may I help you?”_

Relief surged through Marie the moment she heard Zelda’s sultry tone on the other line, and tears of relief began to trickle down her cheeks. 

“Zelda?! Zelda! Oh my god, thank goodness you picked up! It’s Marie!”

_“Marie! Where are you?”_

“I’m...the car stopped. I don’t know what to do.”

_“I knew that old hunk of junk wouldn’t last another winter.”_

At the end of her sentence, Marie could hear Zelda blowing smoke out, indicating that she was probably tucked comfortably next to the fire with a cigarette in hand.

_“Marie where are you?”_

“I just left the downtown area, but I’m still about 20 minutes away.” 

_“Okay. Stay put. Have you passed any defining markers or street signs? What do you see?”_

Marie’s bottom lip trembled, and she tried to keep the tears out of her voice. She looked outside of the foggy windows as best she could, but only saw darkness around her. She didn’t dare open the door and let the cold air in, not when she already had to conserve what little heat she had, even with her winter clothes. 

“I, it’s…I can’t see.” Marie envisioned Zelda arriving too late, only to find the car buried beneath the snow, and Marie trapped in the icy prison. She coughed, her heart skipping a beat.

_“Marie? Marie listen to me. I need you to take a deep breath for me.”_

“Mmn. Okay, okay.” Marie nodded, trying to calm herself.

“It’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay, alright? I’m coming to get you.”

“Okay.”

_“Now, do you have me on speaker phone?”_

“Yes.”

 _“Good. I want you to save my number, okay? Then, share your location with me.”_

“Alright.” 

_“Are you ready?”_

Marie opened up her address book, and went to add a new contact. She typed in Zelda’s name, and then waited for Zelda to relay her number to her. 

“I’m ready.” 

_“978-666-1692. You got that?”_

“Yes.”

_“Good. Try not to worry too much dear. I’m coming right now to get you.”_

“Okay...okay.” 

Marie’s teeth chattered together, and she leaned back against the headrest. A lone teardrop hung from her chin, tickling her there, and she brushed it away. 

_“Oh and Marie?”_

“Yeah?”

_“Whatever you do, do NOT get out of the car. You need to stay as warm as possible.”_

“Okay.”

_“I’m coming. I promise. Just hang tight.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How is everyone doing after viewing Part 4? Hanging in there? I won’t put any spoilers here, in case someone hasn’t watched it yet, but I did make a detailed post on Part 4, from my own point of view (being a black queer woman), and you can check that out [here](https://renaissancefleabag.tumblr.com/post/639267192242864128/thoughts-on-caos-part-4-from-a-black-queer-woman) on my Tumblr.
> 
> I do realize that going out to drive in this type of weather is unwise, and I am not writing Marie as someone who uses poor judgment; however, for the sake of the story, this is what I chose to write. I don’t live in a place where we have winter storms like this, so I have been trying to do my research and not make things be too outlandish and unrealistic. Bear with me!
> 
> Also, I am sorry that this chapter came so late. I’d originally wanted to work on it before Part 4 dropped, but was far too anxious to really get into it. And then, after binging Part 4, I felt….things, and wasn’t really able to get into it like I’d wanted to. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Things are finally starting to pick up, slowly but surely, and I am excited to write what comes next. Now I just have to find the will to do it!!
> 
> As always, thank you all for reading, and I hope you are staying safe and healthy in these weird ass and scary times. Take care of yourselves, and have a great weekend! 💜💜💜


	6. And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rescue of some sorts takes place, and Zelda and Marie suddenly find themselves alone, and begin to feel even more drawn to one another.

**December 20, Side of the Road, Greendale**

There are certain situations in life in which one must gather all of one’s inner strength, in order to stay sane—digging deep, searching for any inner zen, peace, or positive vibes available. Marie deemed her current situation as such. She’d never had to sit in snow, and certainly not in a vehicle with no heat. It was deathly silent, the stillness almost hurting Marie’s ears. Even in the middle of the night in New Orleans, Marie could expect to hear frogs, crickets, cicadas, and an occasional inebriated person returning home from their enjoyment. 

Waiting in the silence, in a cold car wasn’t exactly Marie’s idea of a good time, but she knew she had to keep a positive attitude, and not let herself get too down. She pulled her knees up to her chest, and leaned back against the headrest. The last traces of warmth in the car had evaporated nearly half an hour ago, and she didn’t know how much longer she would have to wait for Zelda’s arrival. Sure, she was considerably warmer with her new coat and boots, but the cold still seeped in. Even the driver’s side window felt like sitting next to a block of ice.

_Think of anything but this. Think of a time you were warm, and you wouldn’t even dream of needing a coat. Think about...think about..._

**_Marie was back in Haiti, at Baie de Jacmel, hidden away from tourists and local peddlers. She was warm, the balmy air kissing over her skin. To her left, was a sight even more beautiful than the sea itself. Roseline laid there, stretched out on the sand, Marie’s shawl tucked beneath her curly hair._ **

**_“Do you think you’ll ever move back here, Marie?”_ **

******_“I’m not sure. I really like living in New Orleans, and I want to stay after I finish college. There are so many more opportunities for me there, and my interests...”_ **

**_Marie trailed off, for Roseline leaned over, and ran her fingers down the soft skin of Marie’s arm. Goosebumps rose on Marie’s skin, despite the warm weather, and she felt heat rise to her cheeks. Her eyelids fluttered as Roseline moved in closer, her mouth level with Marie’s. When their lips met, Marie felt like she was floating, and knew then that she had discovered something special._ **

**_“I wish you didn’t have to go back to America tomorrow.”_ **

**_“I know,” Marie whispered, stealing another kiss before pulling back and looking around to see if they were being watched. The only person watching her was Roseline, though, with her caramel colored skin, and her short, reddish brown hair._ **

**_“I remember when we were little girls, I used to think about kissing you like this all the time.”_ **

**_“Rose…”_ **

**_“Seriously Marie. I had it all made up in my mind that I was going to kiss you one day, and then you left.”_ **

**_“Well, I’m here now,” Marie leaned up over Roseline and slid her thigh in-between her legs, drawing a moan out of her._ **

That summer had been the best of Marie’s life. Everything was perfect, and she discovered the particular sweetness of having sex with a woman for the first time. If she wanted to remember a time when everything was perfect, all she had to do was remember that summer. 

Now, she was fully brought back to the present, the cold car, the uncomfortable way she was curled up in the seat. Marie pressed her face into her knees, and thought about that day, back when she was young and knew nothing of the deep loneliness that would accompany her for years to come. 

_If I try and think back hard enough, I can almost hear the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, and the birds in the trees._

An unexpected buzzing shook Marie out of her chilly reverie, and she opened her eyes, phone still in hand. Bright white light flooded into her car from behind, permeating through the front windshield and illuminating the evergreens that lined the road. 

_Zelda._

Marie turned around in the driver’s seat, shielding her face from the headlights. She could just make out Zelda’s black jeep, and see movement inside. Not wanting to stay in the cold car a moment longer, Marie unfolded her legs, and opened the door. 

“Marie!” Zelda shouted, rushing over, leather glove-clad hands outstretched. Marie stood up, her legs protesting the cramped position she’d been sitting in. Zelda remained silent, and was slightly hunched over as she approached Marie. She wasted no time in coming to Marie’s side, hands settling on Marie’s elbows. She walked them urgently back over to the passenger side of her vehicle, the wind whipping at them. Zelda kept an arm around the small of Marie’s back when they got to the car, and she reached in front of Marie to open the door. Warmth rushed out, not unlike the day when Ambrose first came to pick Marie up from the Riverdale Airport. Who could’ve known that so much would change in just a few short days?

Marie settled into the seat, the heated leather welcoming her like one’s bed at the end of a long day. The AC was on high, hot air blasting Marie. Zelda closed the door and ran around the front of the car, red hair sticking out from her hood. The back door opened, and Zelda climbed in the back seat, and was suddenly behind Marie, and to her left, in the space between the two front seats and the back seats. A thick, sherpa blanket was suddenly fluffed out over the front of Marie’s body, as though she were at the hairdressers. 

“Here, this should keep you warm,” Zelda muttered, taking extra care to tuck the blanket around Marie. Marie could smell Zelda’s perfume again, and she suddenly felt at ease. 

“Thank you.” 

Zelda disappeared behind Marie’s seat again, and reappeared with a sleek, metal thermos in hand. She held it out in front of Marie, and started to unscrew the lid. Marie reached up from under the blanket, and took the thermos from Zelda. Carefully, she brought the thermos up to her lips, and took a sip, warmth travelling down into her belly.

“It’s apple cider. I mixed some whiskey in too. I figured you could use it.” Zelda looked away, suddenly bashful. Even in the yellow light of the car, Marie could see Zelda’s blush, and it made her heart sing. Just as she was about to reach for Zelda’s hand, Zelda was pulling away, oblivious to what Marie was doing. 

The driver’s side door opened, and Zelda climbed into her seat, and relaxed, her eyes focusing forward. 

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Zelda exclaimed, twisting and reaching behind Marie’s seat again, in a feat that even Gumby would’ve been jealous of. When she righted herself, she held a clear glass dish in her hands, the contents inside fogging up the lid. She sat it on Marie’s lap, and Marie sat her hand against the side of the dish, to prevent it from falling. 

“What’s this?”

“Scones. Hilda baked them this morning, and I reheated them.” 

“You brought all of this for me?” Marie’s voice was small, and she could feel tears gathering in her throat. Zelda had never shown this much kindness to her, let alone acted like she wanted to be in the same room as her for longer than 30 seconds. Underneath that tough exterior, Marie could tell that Zelda was actually very sweet, and sensitive, and worked very hard to keep that part of herself hidden. 

“Yes. I—” Zelda ran her tongue over her bottom lip, and wiped her nose. “I’ll be right back.”

“Wait.” Marie grabbed Zelda’s arm, causing Zelda to gasp. “Be careful out there, okay?”

“I will.”

In the headlights of the car, Marie could see Zelda huddling against the wind, and walking back towards the broken-down car. Marie took a long sip from the thermos, and let her eyes close. She could feel a slight headache coming on, from the stress of the past hour combined with a lack of food. 

_Maybe a scone or two would help, just until we get back to the house._

Marie nibbled at one of the scones, and slumped down into her seat, trying to get comfortable. Having a scone with no jam or butter made it dry, and Marie chased down the baked treat with even more cider. She screwed the lid back on the thermos, and put it in the cupholder. The back door of the car opened, the wind howling, and Marie knew it was Zelda, looking for something. She could hear chains being moved around, and then the door slammed shut, shaking the vehicle. Zelda opened the driver’s side door once more, and climbed back in. Snowflakes sat unmelted on her jacket, and her face looked white as a sheet under her hood. 

“Here, maybe you need some of this.” Marie held out the thermos, unscrewing the lid. Zelda took the thermos from her, and took a healthy swig. Marie couldn’t help but squeeze her thighs together as Zelda put her mouth directly on the thermos. Zelda held the metal tumbler back out to Marie, and Marie took a sip, eyes not leaving Zelda’s face. 

“Thank you for all of this, Zelda. Truly.”

“It’s no matter.” 

“I feel guilty for interrupting your evening.”

“Don’t. Besides, it was just me at home alone.”

_Alone?_

“The family isn’t back yet?”

“No. Hilda stayed on with Dr. Cee, Sabrina is at her friend Rosalind’s house, Ambrose with his girlfriend, and Alex and Matilda called earlier and said that they are staying over in Riverdale.”

“Because of the storm?”

“Mhmmn. So it will just be you and me for a while.” Zelda looked at Marie, with something that almost looked like need. Marie barely kept a smile off of her face, and chose to look out the front of the car instead.

“What were you doing outside?”

“I was trying to see if I could tow the car back to the house. I have a chain, but it is too dangerous. I’d feel more comfortable if I had a towing dolly, or a towing strap. The car won’t start, and we really need to get out of this weather.”

“Oh. Well, I can help you with it, if you like? I must admit, I have no idea about any of this sort of thing. My car knowledge stops at adding oil and antifreeze, and checking fluid levels. That’s about it.”

“That’s better than most.”

Marie trembled with nervous energy, for despite their conversation about cars, all she could think about was the fact that she was going to be alone with Zelda. 

_What’s going to happen when we get back to the house?_

_You’re being irrational, Marie. Of course nothing is going to happen…_

Marie felt a burning deep in her belly again, and visibly shivered beneath the blanket. Zelda noticed this, and turned the AC vents towards Marie. 

“Drink some more. I don’t want you to fall ill.”

Marie obeyed, finishing off the rest of the thermos, suddenly feeling tired and slightly light-headed when she tilted her head back down to normal. 

“How much whiskey did you put in this?” 

“Just a dash or so.” 

“I see.” Marie let her eyes close again, only planning on resting her eyes momentarily. Zelda put the car in drive, and Marie felt them move forward. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was aware of Zelda humming softly, before sleep pulled her under. 

  
  


* * *

**December 20, Spellman House**

Someone was shaking her, not roughly, but persistent enough that it got the attention of her sleep-addled mind. A piercing breeze blew against her face every few seconds, and Marie sensed that the car door was open. It smelled like the car door was open, and the scent of pine, snow, and Zelda’s perfume drifted into Marie’s consciousness. 

“Marie. Marie? Hey, we’re back home.”

_Home?_

“Hm?”

Marie opened her eyes slowly, and yawned. She saw Zelda, tufts of fur from her hood framing her face, her cheeks and nose red from the cold. Zelda’s hand was still on her forearm, on top of the blanket, and she squeezed it lightly. Marie let herself take a good look, and smiled. Zelda returned her smile, and slowly moved her hand away. 

“We need to get inside, out of the cold.” 

Marie silently obeyed, sliding down out of the car seat, blanket in hand. She missed the warmth immediately, and started to fold it up, not one to leave a mess behind.

“You can just toss that in the seat. I’ll worry about it later.”

“Okay.”

Marie closed the car door and noticed that Zelda was waiting for her, with a purple yoga mat tucked under one arm, and her purse in the other. 

“Thank you for grabbing my things. I really appreciate it,” Marie huffed, crunching through the snow.

“Of course. We wouldn’t want you leaving any valuables behind in the car.”

“You are very thoughtful, you know.”

Zelda fiddled with the key on the bottom lock of the front door, and laughed mirthlessly. “I don’t think ‘thoughtful’ is a word many would use to describe me.”

She pushed open the door and stepped inside, immediately pulling the door shut once they were both inside. Marie watched as Zelda pulled off her coat, and hung it up on the coat rack. 

“Zelda.”

“Hm?”

Heat rushed to Marie’s cheeks at the sight of Zelda pulling her scarf from around her neck, her curls slightly mussed from being tucked beneath the wool. 

“I would say you are very thoughtful. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.” 

The wet look returned to Zelda’s eyes once more, and she looked scared, like Marie was looking through her. She smiled shakily, and nodded. 

_“Thank you_. _”_ She cleared her throat, and began to wring her fingers together. “If you want, you can go up and get changed into something more comfortable while I try to scrounge us up some dinner.”

“I think I will do that. Thank you.”

“No problem.” 

* * *

In her bedroom, Marie spared no time in changing into some more casual clothing. It was freezing in her room, the kind of cold in which just removing clothing was an uncomfortable experience. But she needed not turn on the heat when there was the promise of warmth, and Zelda just downstairs.

Speaking of the woman, Marie could hear various expletives being shouted from downstairs, along with the cacophonous sound of pots clanging. She covered her mouth and bit back a laugh, before remembering that she was alone, and that Zelda wouldn’t hear her laugh. Being around Zelda with the knowledge that they were completely alone had Marie feeling like a young girl again, eager to see her crush. Of course, she didn’t have a crush on Zelda, no. She was just…Marie froze, her leggings halfway pulled up her legs.

**_Do_ ** _I have a crush on Zelda? Maybe just a tiny, infatuation? Either that or I’m just lonely from being alone for so long._

Goosebumps rose along the back of Marie’s neck, and she hurriedly pulled up her leggings, figuring it would be better not to think of such things. She could still have a good time and not have to worry about a relationship, or any deeper meaning. It had been some time since she last enjoyed the company of a woman in the bedroom. Of course she would be respectful, and not push forward if Zelda wasn’t comfortable and consenting. It could just be for fun. After all, it was Christmastime, and she hadn’t had any romance around the holidays at all, if she remembered correctly.

_Wait wasn’t there that guy that one year? No, that was just a college era, drunken one-night stand. I think he puked on my rug the next morning. I really liked that rug...ugh. Zelda would probably never do that. She seems to be someone who can hold her liquor, and is very put together. I wonder if one-night stands are beneath her...hm._

“Fuck!” Zelda’s voice rang out from downstairs, and Marie heard the sound of a pot clanging, and dishes scraping across the countertop. 

_I’d better get down there and make sure everything is okay._

While leaving her bedroom, Marie quickly buttoned up her flannel shirt the rest of the way, and rolled the sleeves up. Her stomach grumbled as she got a whiff of whatever Zelda was cooking, and she realized just how hungry she was. 

“Zelda?”

Marie ran downstairs, a question in her voice, hoping all was well. The room was bathed in an orange glow, the freshly lit fireplace flickering as it grew. In the kitchen, Zelda turned around from where she stood at the counter, and hurried towards Marie, hands clasped together nervously. Zelda too was wearing a flannel shirt, as well as a pair of black leggings. Her hair, free from the trappings of her coat, hung loose in gorgeous curls. 

“Come over here, by the fire. I just started a new one.”

_Of course Zelda would have put out the fire before coming to get me,_ Marie surmised, as she edged her way around the Christmas tree.

“I’m still really sorry that you had to abandon your evening plans to come and rescue me. I still feel bad about that.” 

“I should have offered to drive you into town. I don’t know what I was thinking, letting you go out into that alone. I’m the one who should be sorry, Marie.” 

Hearing her name come out of Zelda’s mouth made Marie’s head feel like it was stuffed full with cotton, and she quickly took a seat on the couch. The loveseat itself was pushed closer to the fire than she originally remembered, and she figured that was Zelda’s doing, to help her warm up. Marie picked up on something else in Zelda’s mood, for the woman was quiet, but also seemed content. At ease. Definitely more relaxed than Marie had seen her to date. 

_Something must’ve happened. Or some liquid courage was involved._

She was close enough that Marie could smell her perfume and shampoo, an intoxicating combination. 

“Is everything, um…” Marie gulped, now the nervous one, in a reversal of roles. “Is everything alright?” 

“Of course it is. Are you comfortable? Here.” 

As she spoke, Zelda casually draped a blanket over Marie’s shoulders, a wicked blush coating her cheeks. Marie pulled the blanket around herself, feeling like she was in a romance novel, just waiting to be wooed by a handsome Zelda. 

“Too much? Or just right?” 

“This is great Zelda. Everything is perfect.”

A smile flashed across Zelda’s face as she was turning away from Marie, but Marie saw it. She saw the way Zelda tried to hide her delight, and it made her own heart warm. 

“Whiskey or wine?” Zelda asked from the kitchen, standing on her tiptoes as she reached up into a cabinet. Marie’s eyes were glued to her rear, noting the lovely curves of her body.

“Wine? Unless you want whiskey.”

“You’re the guest here.” From across the room, Zelda made eye contact with Marie, a playful look in her eyes. “I will have whatever you’re having.”

Marie gulped, and nodded, her throat dry. “Wine please.”

Zelda came back from the kitchen with two wine glasses in hand, a bottle opener, and a bottle of red wine. With her foot, Zelda tried to nudge the end table so that it would be in front of the couch. The wooden table teetered, sending Zelda’s cigarette case and lighter to the floor. The metal case sprung open, sending cigarettes flying. Marie jumped to action, already on her knees picking Zelda’s cigarettes up and placing them back in their metal case. 

“Perhaps I should’ve thought this through,” Zelda rasped. Marie looked up and saw undeniable need in Zelda’s eyes. She rose to her feet and sat Zelda’s things back on top of the table, and picked it up, moving it in front of the couch. Marie turned around and Zelda was right behind her.

“Oh!”

Zelda was clearly expecting Marie to take a seat, and not continue to help. Marie took the glasses from Zelda’s hand, and the bottle and bottle opener from the other. Their fingers brushed together, sending little electric sparks up both Marie’s and Zelda’s arms, and through their bodies. Zelda’s lips parted, and she moistened them, her breath caught in her throat. 

And then, Marie took her seat as if everything were completely normal, and she and Zelda had done this hundreds of times before. She pulled the blanket around her shoulders once more and tended to the unopened wine. Zelda forced herself to move, and stop staring at Marie. Her self-control was paper thin at this point, and she needed a moment to herself. Luckily, she still had to gather their dinner. 

Marie uncorked the wine, humming to herself as she poured a decent amount in both of the glasses. The glass was cool against Marie’s lips, and the wine slightly chilled. She took a sip, swirling the liquid around in her mouth before swallowing.

“Mmn. This is _so_ good. Where is it from?” Marie took another sip and sat her glass down, savoring the mouthful. Zelda sat two bowls down and scurried, careful not to spill the contents. 

“The wine?”

“Yeah.”

“A local vineyard. One of my favorite blends.” Zelda waved her hand in nonchalance, as though swatting away a gnat.

“I will definitely have to have some of this sent back home. I’m usually not a wine person, but this…this is just amazing.”

“Perhaps I can show you the vineyard before you leave?”

“I’d like that. Thank you.” Marie took another sip, her eyes meeting Zelda’s over the rim of the glass. Zelda smiled before dashing off to the kitchen yet again. It was rather comical, the way Zelda kept rushing away at the pinnacle of her blushes and breathiness.

_Zelda may be a fully grown woman, but good lord she is adorable._

When Zelda returned she held a basket with bread in one hand and napkins and utensils in the other. She took a seat next to Marie and freed up her hands, reaching for the wine glass and taking a sip. Her ‘sip’ really was her draining the entire glass in one go.

Marie took a closer look at what was in the bowl and realized it was lentil soup. She picked up her spoon and dipped it into the bowl, blowing on the spoonful before nibbling at it. Zelda slid the basket towards Marie, and much to Marie’s delight, it was filled with little crescent rolls, the kind that came in a can. She was rather fond of them, and hadn’t had any in a good while.

“So I...this is what I could procure for now. I do apologize, for it is no Hilda Spellman meal.”

A different look was on Zelda’s face, one Marie hadn’t seen yet, the woman across from her unable to meet her eye. Marie could not help herself, and slid her hand into Zelda’s, squeezing it lightly. 

“Zelda this lovely—”

Zelda winced, startled when Marie’s thumb brushed over a rippled stripe of skin. She pulled her hand away, and apologized immediately.

“Are you okay?” Marie asked, now extending her own hand, palm facing upwards. Zelda laid her hand down against Marie’s, palm down, letting her see what all the fuss was about. It was only about a few inches long, but it looked much worse than it was, an angry pink strip against the rest of Zelda’s pale skin. 

“I may have burned myself on the pot earlier. Like I said, no Hilda Spellman.”

Marie brought Zelda’s hand closer for inspection, noting how incredibly soft her skin felt up against her own.

“Did you run cool water over it as soon as it happened?” 

“I did.” Zelda looked embarrassed again, her blush drowned out by the orange light of the fireplace. “It should be fine, it’s nothing.”

“Wait here a minute…” Marie started, all amped up before shaking her head with realization. And scoffed in a playful manner. “I mean, it’s not like you have anywhere else to go, in the middle of a snowstorm.” Marie laughed, and the sound of it put Zelda at ease. She could feel some of the tension that occupied her body leave, her shoulders sinking a few millimeters. She even felt a raspy chuckle even leave her own body. 

Marie’s thumbs swiped over the back of Zelda’s hand, mindful of the burn, before releasing it, and rising from the couch.

“I will be right back. I have to get something from my room.”

“Alright.” 

As soon as Marie was out of the room, Zelda’s head went to her hands, her elbows balanced on her knees. To say she was worked up would be putting things lightly. Zelda felt completely relaxed, yet fully and simultaneously overwhelmed, caught in her own personal paradox. Everything about Marie, her voice, her laughter, her mere presence, was magical. The air shifted when she was in the room, and Zelda craved her presence. But at the same time she was terrified. Even more so now that they had the house all to themselves. 

_“Fuck.”_

Tears burned behind Zelda’s eyelids, and she pushed the base of her palms firmly against her eyes, willing the tears away.

_I have to tell her about the dreams. I have to...but I can’t. What if she is scared away? Hell, I’m scared. What does it all mean?”_

Deep down inside, Zelda _knew_ what it meant. She knew that her dreams of Marie happened for a reason. But, being someone who didn’t believe in fate, or in ‘luck’ she didn’t want to believe it. 

_Maybe I will wait and tell her later._

The thought of telling Marie and having things go wrong, of her potentially being rejected, was too much for Zelda to bear. Hilda had been so reassuring the other day, but Zelda refused to let herself believe, even if just for a moment, that Marie could be her soulmate. Part of her wanted to believe, so badly, but she shut down that small flicker of hope, and reminded herself that relationships meant disappointment, and she surely didn’t need any more of that in her life. 

* * *

Marie walked with a spring in her step as she bounded back down the stairs in an effort to stay warm while moving through the house. She rounded the corner with a smile on her face ready to announce her return. But when she turned towards the fireplace, all of her joy was put on hold. Zelda was sitting near the edge of the couch, her head held between her hands in a position of distress. 

“Zelda,” Marie took her seat from earlier, gently lowering herself to the couch should Zelda be in pain. Little did she know that Zelda actually was in pain, only this pain was not physical.

“Zelda? Are you alright?” Marie tried again, concerned when she was met with silence. Gently, she sat a hand on Zelda’s shoulder, and to her surprise she was shaking. 

_Oh dear._

Marie let her hand slowly rub over Zelda’s back, smoothing back and forth across the flannel material of her shirt before Zelda sat up straight, pulling her hands away from her face. 

“I’m sorry, Marie.”

“What?”

Marie took her hand away, slightly unnerved by Zelda’s abrupt reaction. Zelda reached out for her metal cigarette case, and plucked one from the little slots that held each cigarette in place. She picked up her metal holder, and arranged the cigarette in it, her nonchalant demeanour back again. 

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“Okay. Well, I can go back upstairs if you need to be alo—”

“No...um, I mean...that won’t be necessary.”

Marie’s eyes were wide, shining in the light of the fireplace. She opened her mouth to speak, but considered her next words carefully. Sometimes she too could relate to getting too caught up in her own thoughts, and needing a moment. Perhaps that is what Zelda was experiencing.

“I brought you something for your burn.” Marie presented a small square tin that fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. She uncapped it, and rubbed her finger around in the off-white substance. 

“What is that?”

“Shea butter. I always carry some with me, to keep my hands moisturized. It is great for the skin.” Marie balanced the tin on her kneecaps, and outstretched her hand towards Zelda. “Let me see.”

Zelda obeyed, her pulse racing when her hand was between Marie’s once more. With great care, Marie gently started to rub the thick substance over the small burn on the back of Zelda’s hand, noting the way Zelda’s breath came rapidly.

“My _grann_ always used to use shea butter for everything.” Marie rubbed further over the back of Zelda’s hand, the shea butter warming under the mutual warmth of both hers and Zelda’s hands. Zelda could smell the salve now, the scent rich like cocoa butter, with lavender. A sense of comfort washed over her as she realized that this was what she smelled every time Marie was around. 

“Your grandmother...was that back in Haiti?” Zelda asked, saying nothing as Marie began to massage her hands. At some point, Marie had gathered more shea butter on her fingertips, and was rubbing it into Zelda’s skin. Normally, Zelda wouldn’t let a stranger just touch her intimately as Marie was, even if said intimacy was just holding hands. But she felt different with Marie, and could tell that she was safe with her, and slowly (yet cautiously) let her guard down. 

“Yes. The shea butter we had there was a bit different of course, as it was made right there in Haiti. This stuff I have is originally from Ghana, by way of New York.” Marie let go of Zelda’s hands, and closed the tin. She picked her bowl of lentil soup back up and picked up where she left off. Zelda followed suit, and the two ate silently for a while, the only sounds in the room the crackling of the fireplace, and their spoons scraping against the bottom and sides of their bowls. 

“Marie…”

It was Zelda who finally broke the silence, Marie’s name barely off of her tongue before she was interrupted by a low hum. Before either of them could register the sound, all of the lights went out in the house, plunging them into semi-darkness, save for the light of the fireplace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I survived another week in this fucked up place. Honestly the news has been way too much as of late, and I've been sitting in my room playing Animal Crossing for hours and not really doing anything productive (aside from working on this and my art, of course). I just really am drained, being a black person here in America. I won't unload a whole journal-worthy post here in the author's notes, but yeah, it's been rough.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter though! Things are getting spicy 😂 Also, Zelda may or may not have been thinking of *ahem* things when Marie was down on her knees, picking up her cigarettes 😅
> 
> The shea butter I mentioned can be found [here](https://eugeniashea.com/). It is a bit pricey, but the tins are so cute and fit into my bag easily. Plus, it is a black-owned business. The lavender and grapefruit scented ones smell *so* good! I'm sure you can find comparable options on etsy for cheaper, but this stuff is great too. 
> 
> I hope you all are having a good weekend, as best you can considering the times. I also really hope you are protecting your mental space, as well as your spirit. That can be so important in times like these, and I have been failing to do so, or not being as careful as I should with what news I consume and such. Now that things are picking up in this story, I hope that will be enough for me to forget about real life for a while and get lost in this world. Thank you all for reading! I hope you have a great week! 💜


	7. You feel my heat, I’m just a moment behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A power outage leads to teamwork, which leads to Marie having the best night she has had in a long time.

**December 20, Spellman House**

Marie blinked in the darkness, the only light in the room now the fireplace. The house creaked and groaned, and it made Marie feel uneasy. Her pulse started to race, and she looked at Zelda, fear thrumming in her veins. 

“Great,” Zelda muttered, rising from the couch. Her reaction indicated that she wasn’t surprised, but annoyed, rather. 

“What do we do now?” 

Marie had been in power outages before, on more than one occasion. She’d lived through several hurricanes, and was even lucky enough to have been out of town during Hurricane Katrina. But she’d never been in a power outage in the middle of winter, complete with snow and a person she was very attracted to.

“I have to go down to the basement and check the breaker.” Zelda was already across the room, in the kitchen opening a cabinet. “You can come with me, if you like.” Zelda closed the cabinet and held up a flashlight, the bright white light shining across the room. 

“I guess I can.”

“I’m going to need your help to set up the generator though, if I’m not able to reset the breaker.”

Zelda walked quickly, and Marie jumped up from the couch, brushing away crumbs from her leggings. 

“What do you need me to do?” 

“For now, just follow me.” 

Marie trailed behind Zelda, the dim glow of the fireplace a mere ember in the cavernous darkness of the Spellman home. Marie looked around as they went further into the dark, the house suddenly terrifying in the silence and inky blackness. For a moment, Marie thought she saw something at the top of the stairs, and she gasped. Not looking where she was going, she walked right into Zelda, who had turned around at the sound of her gasp. 

“Oh!”

“Agh!”

Zelda stumbled backwards, and dropped the flashlight. The piece of plastic skittered across the floor, turning off and plunging them in darkness. It wasn’t _so_ dark that they couldn’t see anything at all, but rather, just dark enough that they couldn’t see any obstacles on the ground in front of them. 

“I’m sorry!” Marie dropped down, feeling across the wood floor for Zelda. Her hand came in contact with Zelda’s foot, which she promptly let go of. “Are you okay?” Marie frantically kept feeling around for the flashlight, not finding it. 

“I should be asking you that, Marie. You sounded like you saw a ghost!” Zelda too had crouched down in search of the flashlight. Her hand eventually came into contact with the cylindrical piece of plastic first, sparing them from fumbling around in the dark for longer than they desired. Zelda flipped the light on, and Marie moved to stand behind her, her overactive imagination picturing a sinister figure lurking behind where she had just been standing. 

“I thought I saw something, upstairs.” Marie ducked behind Zelda, pulse pounding in her ears. Zelda didn’t say anything in response, and instead shone the light up the stairs. 

“No one here but us. Besides. I have more than enough to keep us safe here.” 

Marie nodded, wishing she didn’t indulge in copious amounts of horror movies throughout the months of October and November. But she did feel safe with Zelda, which was reassuring. 

Zelda was now at the door that led to the basement laundry room, jiggling the knob. The hinges of the door creaked ominously as she pulled it open, the beam of light shining bright into the stairwell. 

“Watch your step going down,” Zelda said, holding onto the handrail cautiously, not wanting to slip herself. The air grew cooler, and smelled like dryer sheets and wood. Above them, the house groaned in the wind, making all sorts of noises. Zelda and Marie stepped down off the final two stairs, and Marie inhaled shakily, looking up at the ceiling.

“Old house.” 

“Zelda I...I really don’t like the dark. I know it is childish, but I just...it just gives me the creeps.” 

“I understand. You don’t have to worry. I won’t let anything happen to you...not that anything is going to happen.” Zelda leaned in closer to Marie, extending her hand. “Here. You can hold the flashlight for me while I check on the breaker, so that way you’ll have the light.”

Their fingers brushed over each other when Marie took the light from her, and Marie felt warm when Zelda slid her hand over the top of hers. Marie stared at Zelda in the dark, not sure what was happening, until Zelda took her hand with the flashlight and shone it in the direction of the breaker.

“We’re just going to go over here, okay?”

A gray box was in the far corner of the room, and Marie caught sight of it after a few seconds. Zelda dropped Marie’s hand, leaving tingles in her wake. Slowly, Marie went over to the grey box Zelda had hinted at, and Zelda walked in step beside her. 

“Okay just shine it up right towards...yes right there. That’s perfect.” 

Zelda walked up to the breaker box, and frowned. But, when she looked over at Marie, she smiled. 

“Do you think you could come just a bit closer?”

“Of course.” 

Marie moved closer to Zelda, as requested, and sighed as Zelda filled her senses. She could feel the warmth radiating off of the woman, and felt comforted just from being close. Zelda fiddled with knobs and switches, and sighed. The house groaned again, the wind outside whipping at the Spellmans’ home. 

“Damnit.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I think there is a line down somewhere. It has been known to happen on occasion, when we have storms. Trees fall, or something trips the circuit. We are too far away from our neighbors to ask if their power went out too. I’m assuming it has.” 

“...meaning…”

“Meaning, we will have to go outside and take the generator out, and plug it into the power inlet box. I will definitely need your help for it, if you don’t mind.”

“Let’s go.”

* * *

Somehow it felt even colder outside now than it did earlier, when Zelda came to pick Marie up. Maybe it was because she had been inside in the warmth, tucked away in her own little slice of newly-discovered heaven. Outside, the wind blew loudly, and she and Zelda had to shout just to hear each other. To make matters worse, the snow was deep, and with each step Marie took, she sank. The snow got into the tops of her boots, soaking through her leggings, and even down to her socks. Wrangling the generator across from the shed to the side of the house proved to be more exhausting than expected with the additional snow. Marie was a very fit woman, her regular yoga practice keeping her strong. But, trudging through several feet of snow while trying to help carry a hefty generator was a new kind of workout, one which Marie was not expecting. The snow was blowing into her eyes the entire time, and she couldn’t really close them or shield her face, for she was focused on helping Zelda carry the generator. Only once Marie was thoroughly chilled to the bone did her and Zelda get the generator in place. 

“Now what do we do?” Marie asked, wiping her now running nose. 

“Well, everything is plugged in, so I am going to go inside to get everything turned back on. I need to cover the generator with a tarp first, though. Don’t want it getting wet out here from the snow.” 

“Is it okay if I go back inside now?” Marie’s teeth chattered together, her body aching beneath her coat. 

“Please. You need to go warm back up.”

Marie turned around and began to retrace her steps back to the back door, trying her best to step where they’d already left footprints earlier. Eager to get back inside, she missed a few steps, feet sinking into untouched snow. She walked as quickly as she could, ready to warm back up next to the fireplace. Between the low visibility and her enthusiasm for warmth, Marie’s foot caught on something, sending her face first into the snow. It felt like she had dunked her head in a bucket of ice, the temperature of the snow leaving a tingly feeling all over her face. She tried to push herself up on numb hands, but instead felt two hands slip beneath her armpits, pulling her up. 

“Are you hurt?” 

Marie sat back on her heels, the icy air stinging her throat with each inhale. 

“No, no. I’m good.” Marie pushed herself up to her feet with ease, embarrassed, and continued her short trek to the house. Zelda followed close behind, wanting to make sure she was okay. She was only a few steps behind Marie, and caught the back door before it could close, slipping inside the house. 

The fire in the hearth was almost completely out, and Zelda rushed to tend to it. Marie slipped off her coat, and picked up a blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders. Shivering, she sat down on the edge of the couch, hoping that Zelda would get the heat turned back on soon. She felt tired. Cold, grumpy, and tired. But watching Zelda made her feel warmer, even if just for a moment. 

“Who would’ve thought that me taking a random flight would end with me experiencing my first winter storm.” 

Zelda struck a match and held it against one of the logs she had just tossed into the fireplace. She waited for it to catch, and shook the match, tossing it into the fireplace. 

“Well, there is a first time for everything,” Zelda muttered, her profile backlit by the fireplace. Another log was selected from the pile next to the fireplace, and thrown into the growing blaze. Marie let her eyes glaze over, trying to soak up the warmth. The orange light blurred as Marie focused on one spot on the rug, looking up when something blocked the fireplace. Zelda had the same hungry look in her eyes from earlier, and she seemed jittery.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t take too long. It’s really cold out there.”

“Of course not.” 

Marie drew her legs to her chest, rearranging the blanket around her huddled form, and waited. Her cold-chilled extremities seemed to be defrosting, slowly but surely. Even in her state of discomfort, all Marie could think about was Zelda, and how much she wanted to...well, kiss her. She wanted to kiss Zelda from the moment she came to pick her up, when she thoughtfully brought Marie blankets, snacks, and a warm drink. Even when she pulled her out of the snow not 5 minutes ago. If Marie let herself stop and think about it, and was honest with herself, she would find that she really wanted to kiss Zelda from the moment they first met. 

_It could just be hospitality. She was just being kind._

The voice of reason in Marie’s head tried to convince her otherwise, that she was reading into things far too much. But in her heart, Marie felt brave and hopeful. She saw the way Zelda looked at her— _had_ been looking at her all night. It was only a matter of time before one of them gave into the tempest that raged between them. Just sitting there thinking of Zelda left her wet and wanting. She wanted to snuggle up next to the woman, to seek refuge from the cold outside, and perhaps make some fire of their own. The more she let herself fantasize about what could happen, the more her desire grew, and she squeezed her legs together. She couldn’t run from it any longer, and it was all coming to a head. Marie now knew what she wanted, more than anything in life. Companionship. Someone to look after her like Zelda was, someone to eat dinner by the fire with—though she probably wouldn’t have a fireplace in New Orleans. She wanted someone to bring her blankets, someone she could share snacks with, lazy mornings with, kisses, holidays...

There was a hum, and suddenly the lights came back on in the house, the Christmas tree and garlands lighting up the room, filling the space with a festive feeling once more. Marie leaned back against the couch, and closed her eyes, trying not to think of the rising wave of emotion she felt for Zelda. 

_Yoga breathing. Just take a few inhales and exhales, and it’ll be okay. Inhale. Exhale._

She was still in the midst of her deep breathing when Zelda came back to the living room. Slippered feet scuffing across the wood floor alerted her to Zelda’s return, and she opened her eyes, drawn to the noise. Zelda held a mass of blankets between her arms so high that her face was hidden. She plopped the pile down on the couch next to Marie, all of the fabric falling in an undignified heap. She selected a blanket from in the middle of the pile and fanned it out before bringing it around Marie’s shoulders. The blanket was reminiscent of the one Zelda had given her in the car earlier, and it smelled like her.

“There you go. Feeling any warmer?” Zelda asked, pulling the edges of the blanket down in front of Marie. Before she could walk away, Marie gently shrugged the blankets off, and stood up. She moved right into Zelda’s personal space, feeling confident when Zelda didn’t back away.

“Zelda.”

Caught in Marie’s eyes, Zelda froze in place, not much unlike the first time they laid eyes on each other. Marie was standing so close that their noses nearly touched. She took Zelda’s hands in her own, and lifted them up to her mouth, pressing a kiss over the back of each. Zelda’s eyes closed, and her lips parted as Marie kissed each of her knuckles. When she let go of Zelda’s hands, Marie could sense her need, and she let her eyes dart down to Zelda’s lips and back up to her eyes. She brought her palms up against either side of Zelda’s face, glad that her hands were no longer blocks of ice. Again, Zelda showed no resistance, and Marie took a leap of faith, leaning in to press her lips to Zelda’s. 

Marie immediately wondered if it was possible to become addicted to a person, for the moment their lips touched, she wanted nothing else in life. Zelda’s lips tasted like lip balm and wine, and Marie felt herself drowning in her. She slid an arm around Zelda’s waist, and the other up into her hair, pulling her closer. 

Zelda moaned and melted into Marie, her knees weakening when she felt Marie’s tongue slip over the top of her own. Her useless hands went to Marie’s rear, squeezing the ample flesh, imagining how her bare skin would feel beneath her fingertips. Zelda wasn’t expecting to be winded so easily, her head spinning beneath Marie’s touch. She needed air, and forced herself to pull away to gasp in a precious breath. She rested her forehead against Marie’s, her eyes still shut while she tried to catch her breath. Their bodies were flush with one another, and Marie caressed the side of her face.

“Well that was something.” 

Zelda could hear the smile in Marie’s voice, and lifted her head to meet her gaze. 

“That certainly was. Mmn.” Zelda licked her lips, and swayed slightly, prompting Marie to tighten her arms around her waist.

“I have been wanting to do that since I got here,” Marie muttered, now brushing Zelda’s hair back from her face.

“Me too.”

“You are _so_ beautiful, Zelda.”

Zelda shook her head, ready to decline, her breath still leaving her lungs in an airy manner.

“Marie I...you...you’re…” Flustered, Zelda huffed, and covered her face with her hands. Marie gently pulled her hands away from her face, and kissed her palms, one after the other. 

“It’s okay. Let’s sit down.” She slipped her fingers in-between Zelda’s with ease, their hands meshing together as though they were molded just to fit one another. Marie took her seat, and Zelda hesitated, not sure how far or close to sit to Marie. She picked closer, sitting so that her thigh was flush with Marie’s. There was still some awkwardness about the way they conducted themselves, Zelda repeatedly wanting to speak but stopping herself. Marie just waited patiently, Zelda’s hands still between her own.

“Marie I…” Zelda looked at Marie, her eyes wet, pupils blown wide, chin quivering.

“Yes, _ma chérie_?”

At the use of the pet name, Zelda felt her insides melt even more than they already had, and she leaned forward towards Marie. This kiss was different, more needy, less exploratory. Needing to be closer, Zelda broke the kiss momentarily to swing a leg over Marie’s lap. Marie welcomed the change in position, and brought her hands to Zelda’s waist while she readjusted herself in her lap. 

“Better?” Marie asked, sliding her hands down to Zelda’s ass, squeezing lightly, as Zelda had done to her just moments earlier. She searched Zelda’s face, giving her time to decide what she wanted to do next. There was no rush, nowhere to go, and she didn’t want Zelda to feel pressured into doing anything. Zelda simply stared at Marie, a look in her eyes that was far more serious than to be expected from a simple hookup.

_I am so attracted to this woman…_

“Take your time, Zelda. We don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do.”

Unbeknownst to Marie. Zelda wanted to do _everything_. Not only had it been a while since she’d had any sort of action, but she also couldn’t believe that she was finally at this place with Marie. _Finally_. To quite literally be with the woman of her dreams, intimately? And during Christmastime?! It was almost too perfect, too good to be true, and she wanted to savor every single moment. 

Though the fireplace burned nearby, a much greater heat burned between the two women, and it was all-consuming. Zelda said nothing, and took Marie’s face between her hands, going in for another kiss. Marie smiled into the kiss when Zelda’s hands went to either side of her face, keeping her as close as possible. It was Zelda whose tongue now flicked out, the woman unable to deny herself a moment longer. They continued to kiss, soft moans shared between the both of them. Marie slipped her hands in-between their bodies, and underneath Zelda’s shirt. Her fingers grasped at the fabric of Zelda’s undershirt, and sought out her skin. Zelda broke the kiss when she felt Marie reaching under her shirt, and pulled back slightly.

“Wait,” Zelda gasped, her cheeks flushed, her mouth wet from Marie’s. Marie immediately pulled her hands away, not wanting to overwhelm Zelda. 

“Too much?”

“No, no, it’s...” Zelda trailed off, her hands reaching towards her neck to the collar of her shirt. Zelda could feel her own pulse thrumming a wild staccato against her fingertips while she undid her top button. Zelda stayed locked in with Marie’s brown, soulful eyes while her fingers moved down her shirt. Button after button, Zelda did not avert her gaze, and only blushed harder in anticipation of being undressed before Marie. 

When she finally had the flannel shirt unbuttoned, she pulled the fabric apart, and shrugged it off of her shoulders. Marie helped her pull it over her hands, and threw it aside. Now Zelda was just before her in her silk undershirt, and leggings. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, and bit her bottom lip, looking up at Marie with a look that was the very portrait of desire. Her nipples were stiff beneath the silk, two little pebbled bumps pushing up against the sheen fabric. 

_“Beautiful…”_

Marie traced her hand up Zelda’s arm, goosebumps rising on the pale flesh. Her fingertips skirted across Zelda’s collarbone, and over the dip at the base of her neck. Zelda couldn’t keep her eyes open when Marie leaned in and placed a kiss against her chest, over her heart. Marie looked at Zelda again, this time with a kind smile, and Zelda cupped the side of Marie’s face. 

“You are breathtaking, Marie.”

Zelda couldn’t keep the smile off of her face as she spoke, the blush from earlier never having left. Marie smiled in return, dimples showing in her cheeks. 

“Marie,” Zelda swallowed, looking at Marie’s still-clothed form. “I want you.”

“Then you can have me.”

Marie leaned in for another kiss, this one deliciously slow, sending tingles through her core. Her body felt like it was buzzing, and she could feel her underwear growing damp. Zelda shifted on Marie’s lap, her hips grinding down as she sought out pressure against her core. Marie noticed the motion, could feel Zelda trying to grind up against her, and she felt light-headed. It had been so long since she had a beautiful woman writhing in her lap, desperate for release. And the fact that it was Zelda, this beautiful stranger who she felt she knew, made it all the more special. 

_“I want to make you feel good, Zelda,”_ Marie whispered against Zelda’s mouth, smiling when Zelda whimpered. She slid a hand in-between their bodies, and down to cup Zelda between her legs. The fabric of her leggings was warm and damp, Zelda’s heat emanating through the spandex. Marie pushed her palm upwards, adding pressure. Zelda moaned, a wanton noise, and ground down against Marie’s palm. 

_“Zeldaaaaa,”_ Marie moaned, her own panties growing wet as Zelda raked her teeth across her bottom lip. Zelda’s tongue slid back into her mouth, and Marie squeezed her thighs together. 

“Zelda, _mmnf_ , wait.”

Zelda immediately pulled back and gave Marie a look that was so sad and needy it nearly broke Marie’s heart.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just want to make you come, before I burst into flames.”

 _“Oh.”_ Zelda sat her palms against Marie’s shoulder blades, and pursed her lips. She left her hands there for a moment, before sliding them down to rest flat against Marie’s chest. “Well…” Zelda’s fingers now went to the buttons on Marie’s shirt, and hesitated before going any further. 

“...we can’t have you bursting into flames now, can we?”

Marie subtly nodded her approval, and Zelda began to unbutton Marie’s shirt, her fingers moving faster than they did when removing her own just moments before. Marie leaned back against the couch, and spread her arms out on either side of the pillows next to her, watching Zelda. She had a very focused look on her face, and some locks of her hair fell forward into her face while she undressed Marie. Marie couldn’t help herself and tipped Zelda’s chin up, leaning in for another kiss. Zelda’s hands dropped the edges of Marie’s shirt, and went on the back of the couch, on either side of Marie’s head. Mid-kiss, she rose off of Zelda’s lap, and sat down next to her. Marie went with it, and gently nudged Zelda onto her back. She pulled back, taking a moment to properly remove her shirt, her chest heaving as she looked down at Zelda. 

“Still doing okay?” 

Zelda nodded, and pulled her silk undershirt up over her head. Now from the waist up, she was undressed, and resisted the urge to fold her hands over her chest. There was nothing to be ashamed of, and Marie made it clear that she appreciated the view. In fact, when Marie realized what Zelda was doing, she reached behind her back to take off her bra. 

Now Marie sat up over Zelda’s supine form, and leaned down towards Zelda’s chest. She started at Zelda’s neck, trailing kisses over the powder-soft skin she’d longed to kiss since her arrival. 

Marie didn’t stop at Zelda’s neck. 

She continued her kisses, down between Zelda’s breasts, and around each breast. She even took her time nibbling at the underside of the small, fleshy mounds, and flicked her tongue out over each nipple. Zelda was whining now, slowly thrusting her hips up against Marie’s torso. One her way down to Zelda’s belly, Marie smiled at her desperation, the sight fully arousing. Eager to please, Marie wasted no time, and slipped her fingertips under the waistband of Zelda’s leggings. 

“Can I take these off?”

Zelda’s eyes were squeezed shut, the look on her face one of arousal, masquerading as pain. She nodded, panting, her chest flushed deep red. Marie pulled her leggings off, and felt a heat pool anew in her own belly. Instead of being met with some fancy, silk underwear as she was expecting, Marie was instead met with pink flesh, covered in a closely cropped dusting of dark red hair. 

_Oh. She smells so good._

Marie licked her lips, and leaned back in, continuing the adornment of Zelda’s body with kisses. She paused when she got to the juncture between Zelda’s thighs, heart racing when Zelda’s legs fell open on their own accord. Marie continued her kisses, further down. 

Above Marie, Zelda writhed against the couch, in dire need of release. She nearly wept when Marie’s tongue met that small bundle of nerves, all but thrusting her crotch up into Marie’s face. She could have died when Marie pulled her legs up, over her shoulders, and tenderly began to lick and suck between her thighs. All of Zelda’s senses were in overdrive, and she lost awareness of everything except Marie, and her gorgeous mouth. It was a good thing that no one was home, for Zelda didn’t know what happened when she finally did come. When she was able to speak again, having floated back down from the heavens, her voice was a hoarse rasp, evidence of the screams lost to pleasure. 

“Zelda?”

Marie was leaning up over her, a damp hand tapping Zelda on the cheek. Zelda lay with her eyes closed, but her face was scrunched up, her chin quivering. Before Marie could ask what was wrong, tears started to roll down the sides of Zelda’s temples.

“Come here,” Marie offered, her arms outstretched. Zelda sat up, and went into Marie’s arms with a small sniffle. Immediately, everything seemed to make sense, the dream with Papa Legba, the longing she felt. Everything in Marie’s life had been leading up to this moment, and a sense of peace and tranquility settled over Marie, her anxieties seemingly non-existent. 

“It’s okay, you’re going to be okay.” 

Marie had no idea if things actually _were_ going to be okay, but if her feelings while holding Zelda were any indication, then they were going to be okay. 

  
  


* * *

They sat in silence, simply holding each other, unaware of the time passing. The fireplace popped every so often, in the background, and a grandfather clock sounded from somewhere in the house. At some point, Marie had pulled a blanket up over Zelda’s shoulders, causing Zelda to snuggle deeper against her chest. Marie had nearly drifted off into a perfect sleep when she felt Zelda’s fingertips circling around her nipple. 

“So tell me about yourself,” Zelda spoke, her voice several shades darker than usual. Marie’s breath came faster, as Zelda pinched at the bud, and she gulped.

“Well, what do you want to know?”

Zelda had mercy on Marie, and smoothed her hand down over Marie’s stomach, the toned abs rippling beneath her touch. 

“Tell me something you don’t often tell people.” 

“Well, you already knew that I grew up in Haiti…”

“Yes.”

“I um…”

Zelda let her hand rest on Marie’s stomach, not moving any further in order to give her a chance to answer. 

“We moved when I was young, 7 or 8. Somewhere around that time. It was my parents’ attempt at making a better life for us.”

“Us…?”

“My sister, Jean, and myself.”

“Hm.”

“I cried every night for a good while once we moved, because I missed Haiti so much. We left my _grann_ behind, as well as my best friend, Roseline. I couldn’t understand why we would leave when things seemed to be perfect.”

“What was the real reason for your move?”

“My parents. My dad got an investment opportunity with a sister company to the one he worked for in Haiti.” Without realizing it, Marie began to run her fingers through Zelda’s hair, her fingers stroking through the slightly frizzy locks.

“What was it like moving to New Orleans after living in a place like Haiti? I imagine Haiti was very beautiful, and coming to the States was a downgrade.”

“Well, yes and no. I will always think of Haiti as the most beautiful place in the world, for that is my home. It is where my ancestors come from, where they toiled harvesting sugarcane by day, and worshipping the _loa_ by night. I’m proud of where I’m from, even though it seems a lifetime away. If I’m being honest, New Orleans doesn’t seem so hot anymore either. Only once I got my own place did I really start to feel like it was home. Even now, I am in the apartment of my dreams, and am surviving instead of barely scraping by. But I still feel off, as though something is missing.

Zelda leaned up to press a kiss to the underside of Marie’s chin, lingering when Marie pulled her in closer. 

“I’m sure you’ll find whatever it is you’re looking for.”

“I hope so. I don’t think I can carry on with the way things are going. Something has to change.”

From her current position, Zelda tried her best at giving Marie a hug, settling on squeezing her midsection. She tucked her head in against Marie’s breast, and Marie squeezed her back in return. 

“Did you ever go back to Haiti to visit, since moving to America?” 

“I did. A few times, actually.” 

The summer with Roseline came to mind, and Marie chuckled, her laugh vibrating her ribcage, her stomach briefly deflating beneath Zelda’s palm.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about this one time I went back, and learned some things about myself.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Well...” 

Beneath the blankets, Marie found Zelda’s hand, and laced their fingers together. “That particular summer, I discovered, for the first time, just how amazing sex with women could be.”

Zelda blushed, unable to keep a goofy grin off of her face. “It _is_ amazing, isn’t it.”

“Yes.” Marie looked directly at Zelda when replying, wanting Zelda to know that she didn’t take a single second of their time together for granted. Zelda sat up again, and moved so that her face was level with Marie’s, and kissed her. They took their time, enjoying each other for a few moments, before pulling apart. 

“And what about you, Zelda? Tell me more about yourself.” 

“There’s not much to know.”

Marie swept some of Zelda’s hair over her shoulder with familiarity, as though she had done so hundreds of times before. 

“Sure there is. How does a no-nonsense woman like yourself end up running a bed and breakfast out of her home—not that there's anything wrong with that. I’m truly enjoying myself here, by the way.”

“Life happened. I don’t usually like to talk about it, but…”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“But I want to. It’s just...it’s just frustrating, that’s all.” Zelda sat up, taking the blanket with her. Marie followed suit, and folded her legs in front of her as she waited for Zelda to continue.

“I used to be an attorney. I worked at a law firm in Riverdale. We worked in both Riverdale, and Greendale, since they aren’t that far apart.”

“We?”

“My ex-husband and I.” Zelda ducked her head down, and gnawed at her bottom lip. “You had the pleasure—or should I say misfortune—of meeting him the other day.”

 _The man from the sporting goods store!_

“You mean that weird fucker who was kissing all over my hand like he knew me?”

“That would be Faustus,” Zelda replied with a grimace, shaking her head. 

“How did you uh, end up married to him, if I may ask?”

“It was strictly a business move, for the sake of the law firm. But then things went wrong. He was a mean drunk, and behind closed doors, all we did was shout and fight.”

“Oh Zelda. I’m so sorry.” Marie rubbed Zelda’s shoulder, the concern and remorse in her voice genuine. Zelda looked up, and sat her hand on top of Marie’s. 

“It’s okay. We were never compatible anyways. Two control freaks never belong together. At least his mother is still amicable towards me. I did enjoy the time I spent with her over the holidays.”

“Hey I don’t think you’re a control freak.”

Zelda scoffed in response, and shook her head.

“It’s true. Since I arrived, I’ve seen nothing but a beautiful, _kind_ , thoughtful woman, who truly cares about her family.”

“Now you’re being too generous.”

“No I’m not. I mean it.” 

It was as though no one had ever given Zelda such a compliment before, for her eyes grew wet, and she turned away, suddenly embarrassed. Marie saw how Zelda tried to hide her emotions—hell, she’d been there before herself. She didn’t know Zelda that well, but wanted to let her know that it was okay to feel things, that it was okay to emote. 

“Hey.” Marie took Zelda’s hand and squeezed it, offering comfort while still giving her her space. “Do you want to lie back down?” 

Zelda rubbed her thumb back and forth over Marie’s hand, grateful for the contact. She eventually looked back up at Marie, with a small smile. 

“I had something else in mind we could do, if you don’t mind.” 

“Oh really? And what might that be?”

Zelda moved back towards Marie, leaning in to whisper in her ear. “Why don’t you finish getting undressed, and I will show you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just like that, the rating goes up 😈
> 
> I’m sorry that this chapter took a while. Once again, my mental health has been less than spectacular. Hopefully the fact that this chapter is a little bit longer than the others can make up for the fact that it came so late. I can’t believe I am still writing a Christmas multi chap when it is going to be Valentine’s Day soon LOL. I should’ve started earlier, back in November. But the story wasn’t ready to be written then. I am grateful for those of you who are still following along, even if the story is out of season (Zarie is never out of season though 😎). 
> 
> Shoutout to Alyssia for giving me a quite literal step-by-step run down of what she does when the power goes out in a snowstorm and she has to get her generator out. I appreciate you!
> 
> Thank you all for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you have a great week.


	8. We are walking in the air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after, in which fluff and chit chat happen.

**December 21, Spellman House**

There was no way a snowstorm was taking place just outside. No, for Marie was the warmest she’d been in her entire life. It wasn’t a summer heat, nor a stifling heat, but rather the comforting warmth one would feel while in a loving embrace, with someone they held dear. 

Marie opened her eyes, aware of a warm weight pressed against her.

_Zelda._

A slow smile spread across Marie’s face as memories of earlier that night came back to her. She’d fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep after Zelda had pleasured her through one, then a second, and a third and final orgasm. Before the redhead’s loving attention, Marie was already on a high, simply from tasting Zelda alone. Even if they _hadn’t_ ended up making love that night, Marie would have been satisfied with just kisses. And Zelda had plenty to spare.

Marie opened her eyes, and peered at the woman pressed up against her chest. She was the very portrait of serenity. Her slightly out of place hair was still curled at the ends, and the tresses were silky soft against Marie’s chest, and the backs of her hands. Zelda’s head was tipped upwards, towards Marie. It was the first time Marie had ever seen her sleeping, and she wanted to cherish every second. A forceful exhale left Zelda, and she began to shift around in Marie’s embrace. 

_“Mmmn…”_

Zelda moaned, and Marie couldn’t tell if it was sexual in nature, or one of discomfort. Regardless, she rubbed a reassuring hand against Zelda’s back, and kissed the top of her head, letting her nose linger in Zelda’s hair. 

“...please...let it be real…” Zelda muttered in her sleep, and snuggled closer against Marie, her hand tracing over Marie’s chest. 

_Maybe it’s just a bad dream._

“It’s okay Zelda, you’re okay,” Marie said softly, assuming Zelda was having some sort of nightmare. The woman against her chest gasped, and sat up slightly, her chest heaving. She looked around the room, disoriented, and then at Marie. 

“You...you’re really here…” 

Zelda’s voice trembled, her face showing a genuine look of shock, as she was still in the throes of whatever dream she had been having. Marie sat up, and pulled the blanket back around Zelda’s bare shoulders. Zelda looked at Marie’s hands where they pulled the blanket closed, at Zelda’s chest. Her eyes were wide and tear-filled when she looked back up at Marie.

_What is going on…?_

“You’re _here,_ ” Zelda repeated again, reaching out to cup Marie’s face. She rubbed her thumbs back and forth over Marie’s bottom lip, a look of disbelief on her face. 

“Yes, I am,” Marie replied, still confused as to what was going on. Just as she was trying to process, Zelda decided to interrupt Marie’s deductions with an unexpected but welcome question.

“Can I kiss you?”

The tone of her voice was so sweet that it made Marie’s heart clench. Zelda sounded like she was trying to enjoy the last vestiges of something that was rare and sacred, as though Marie wouldn’t be with her for the next 5 days. At the thought of leaving, a chilling sadness settled over Marie. Her life in New Orleans was going to be waiting for her, and by this time the next week, she would be back at home, alone. Panic sent her heartbeat up a few notches, and she took a deep breath, bringing herself back to the moment, trying to stay present and enjoy what was turning out to be a magical holiday.

“Yes please.” Marie leaned back, pulling Zelda back on top of her. Zelda pressed a closed-mouth kiss against Marie’s lips, very straightforward yet lingering. Not quite finished, she topped it off with two shorter kisses. Marie cupped the back of Zelda’s head, fingers tracing up against her scalp, and Zelda let out a sleepy noise. 

“Try to get some rest _ma chérie._ It will all be better in the morning.” 

Marie winced internally at her attempt at being comforting. She basically just repeated what she would say to her nieces when they would have a nightmare, and she was trying to soothe them back to sleep. It seemed to work, though, because Zelda tucked herself against her, and said nothing more until she fell back asleep. Even after Zelda went back to sleep, Marie kept rubbing her back. It felt _so_ good to be cuddling with someone again, even if just for a moment. Marie let herself fantasize about falling asleep like this every night, the warmth, the comfort, the reassurance. The last thing she remembered before finally dozing off was Zelda hugging her in her sleep. 

* * *

The next time Marie awoke, it was late morning, and she was on the couch alone. Christmas music was playing softly from somewhere, quiet enough not to disturb her had she still been sleeping, but loud enough to still be heard. The sound of a pan against the stove as well as dishes being carefully moved around came from the kitchen as well. Whatever it was that was cooking, it smelled wonderful, and Marie couldn’t wait to have some when it was ready. She also smelled cigarette smoke, and saw that the fire in the fireplace had been reignited. Marie sat up and yawned, stretching her arms up over her head. In the kitchen. Zelda was at the stove, clad in the black silk robe she had been wearing the day prior, when Marie went to her bedroom. Her hair was pinned up off of her shoulders, probably so it wouldn’t get in the way while she cooked, and she poured something into a frying pan.

Beneath the blankets, Marie felt around until she found her panties and flannel shirt, putting them both back on before deciding to rise from the couch. Upon looking down, she noticed that Zelda had placed a pair of moccasin-like bedroom slippers by the couch for her. They fit perfectly, and Marie rose from the couch, rubbing over a spot on her neck. Zelda happened to look up just as Marie was approaching the kitchen, and she smiled, her eyes going back down to the stove.

“Good morning.”

“Morning.” 

Marie leaned against the counter, watching Zelda flip a pancake in the frying pan. She took in Zelda, luxuriated in the sight of her first thing in the morning. 

“I hope you like pancakes,” Zelda said in a mirth-filled tone. She lifted the pancake out of the frying pan and expertly slid it on a plate next to the stove. “We even have blueberries to go on top, if you like.”

“I love blueberries.”

“Perfect. It’s kind of a Spellman family tradition, in a way.” Zelda poured another dollop of pancake batter into the frying pan, and sat her measuring pitcher back down. “I also made some bacon as well. I didn’t know if you liked that or not. I know Hilda makes vegetarian meals when she cooks, but usually just for herself and the family. If I bring meat home, she’ll make it, though.”

“Now, I know I may sound 100% American, I _am_ a born and bred Haitian. We don’t shy away from meat. As a matter of fact, we have a very famous dish made of pork. _Griot_ is what it’s called. It is very tasty.”

“How is it made? I’m not the best chef. This and reheating canned soup are the extent of my culinary abilities.” Zelda pointed to the pancakes with the spatula, a nonplussed look on her face. Marie walked around the counter and right up behind Zelda, slipping her arms around her waist. Zelda was stiff at first, and Marie thought for a second that she may have overstepped.

“Is this okay?”

Zelda didn’t say anything, and sat the spatula to the side of the stove. Marie was about to step away when Zelda gently laid her hands on top of Marie’s. Tenderly, Marie pressed a kiss against Zelda’s neck, and then shoulder, giving her waist a gentle squeeze. She could tell that Zelda took a shower, her skin smelling of soap, and whatever lotion she used. 

_She is a dream. I’m dreaming right now. I have to be._

“Well,” Marie gently rocked Zelda back and forth, breathing her in. “We take cubes of pork shoulder, and season it with salt, pepper, and vegetables like onions and shallot, scallions, and herbs. Then you marinate it—we usually leave it in the fridge overnight—and then braise it the next day, before frying it. It is traditionally eaten with _pikliz_ , which is a pickled cabbage and pepper mix. And then, we’ll add a side of red beans and rice, as well as plantains.”

“That all sounds delicious, though I’ve never had any of it before.”

“It is. I’m getting hungry just talking about it! I made sure to learn how to cook my favorite recipes from home before I left my parents’ house, so that I would always have that part of my heritage with me. I’m still working on perfecting my recipe, so that it will taste like my grandmother’s.” 

“Hmm. I think one of the main dishes my grandmother passed down to us was shepherd’s pie as well as custard and such.”

“I guess I’ll have to make you a proper Haitian meal sometime.”

Zelda turned around in Marie’s arms, and placed her palms flat against Marie’s shoulders, looking very coy. 

“I guess you will,” she whispered, leaning in for a kiss. Zelda tasted like lip balm, and Marie sighed when she broke the kiss, keeping her arms around Zelda’s waist. 

“I had fun last night.”

“Me too.”

“You’re very good with your hands, Zelda.” Marie winked to emphasize her point. Zelda gave her a very suggestive smile, and turned around to tend to the now burning pancake that sat in the frying pan. Smoke came up from the pan, all of the oil having been burnt away, and she turned down the burner all the way to the lowest setting. 

“I am quite skilled, if I do say so myself. It is one of the things I am most proud of.” Zelda lifted up the frying pan from the stove with both hands, and Marie unwrapped her arms from around her. 

“I think my pancake skills could use some work though, to say the least.”

Zelda tilted the frying pan towards the trash can, and the burnt pancake fell out, completely charred on one side. Marie let out a chuckle, and covered her mouth with her hand. Zelda caught sight of Marie laughing, and she smiled in response.

“I think I’ve made enough pancakes for now. If you want some more, I’ll make some more.”

* * *

After nearly eating her body weight in pancakes, and laughing until her stomach ached, Marie excused herself from the kitchen table. She informed Zelda that she needed to give her sister an update, knowing that Jean would be worried after not hearing from her. Zelda was understanding, and began to clean up the dishes from breakfast, while Marie snuck off to the sitting room, phone in hand. 

“Hey.”

_“Marie! Are you okay? I heard there was a crazy storm that touched down over there.”_

“Yeah, yeah. It’s been….” Marie looked out the front window of the sitting room, and watched as a few lazy snowflakes drifted down. 

“It’s been something alright.”

_“Are you safe?”_

“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. The power went out, and we’ve been busy with uh, stuff.”

_“But you’re okay though?”_

“Well...I got stuck in the snow last night while driving back to the house. I was scared as hell.”

 _“Oh my god! M! Did you call 911 or something?”_ The urgency in Jean’s voice was present, and Marie knew her sister was most likely pacing nervously as she waited to hear the rest of the story. Jean had always been one who worried, while Marie was the one to calm her down.

“I’m okay now. The car just kind of shut off and I panicked. For a minute there I really thought it could be the end. I thought of you and the girls to keep myself calm.”

_“Oh honey. I’m so sorry. I wish I could’ve been there to help you. Do you want to fly home early?”_

“No!” Marie shouted, immediately looking around to see if Zelda was passing by. Jean would surely know that something was up. She wasn’t completely sure that her and Zelda were more than just a casual fling at this point, despite her sudden and deep feelings towards the woman. Only time would tell, and Marie wanted to make the most out of the rest of her time in Greendale.

_“Okayyy. No need to get your draws in a bunch! What’s got you so eager to stay there anyways? Is it Zelda?”_

“Jean no, I—”

 _“You answered too quickly, so that means yes._ ”

“Well...”

_“Did you two, you know?”_

Marie felt hot all over, her body humming as though a switch had been turned on. The delicious memory of Zelda’s fingers inside of her sent Marie’s heartrate awry, the way Zelda’s voice went husky as she looked up at her from beneath hooded eyes. Zelda’s fingers were delicate, her nails painted perfectly, but she was no stranger to hard work nor the activities that they engaged in. Her fingers curled and coaxed Marie to the edge of that peak until she fell over the edge, into throes of pleasure. Just the thought of it all made Marie’s breath come shorter, and she gulped. 

“I mean, we _may_ have kept each other company last night. She really helped me out yesterday when the car broke down, Jean. I haven’t had a panic attack like that since college, so like, over 15 years ago?”

Jean was no stranger to Marie’s panic attacks, which she often helped Marie through when they were younger. They didn’t come as frequently once Marie grew into her teenage years, but whenever she did have one, they were typically quite intense. As of the past year, she’d been lucky to not have suffered from any.

_“I’m sorry M. Did you do some self-care afterwards?”_

“Actually…” the realization dawned on Marie, and she gasped, loud enough for Jean to hear. “Zelda did it for me, now that I think of it. She brought me snacks and blankets, and made sure I was comfortable and warm. I don’t even think anyone would have been able to get to me as quickly as she did. I didn’t see any cars around at all. I’m really lucky.” 

_“The more I hear about Zelda, the more I like her.”_

“She’s pretty great.” Tears formed in the corners of Marie’s eyes, and she cleared her throat. 

_“Thank her for me, when you get a chance.”_

“I will. She’s a really great person, better than I initially thought.” 

_“That is lovely, M. I really hope you enjoy yourself, like, seriously. Just soak up all of the pleasure and whatever it is you want to do. Enjoy being in the moment, and forget about everything else, your job, bills—everything. You deserve this.”_

“But I don’t know what it all means.”

_“Maybe it doesn’t have to mean anything. Maybe you are exactly where you are meant to be at this point in time.”_

“Yeah.”

_“So what are you going to do since everything is covered in snow?”_

“Well, we can’t really leave—I mean, we can, but the roads haven’t been cleared yet.”

_“So you’re going to just stay inside all day, just the two of you?”_

“Yes.”

_“Well, I’ll be sure to make an offering to Agwou. This storm was a blessing indeed.”_

“You’re funny,” Marie replied, drawing her legs up beneath herself. “I don’t think I would feel right thanking the _loa_ for the storm. It was really scary. Some people probably still don’t have power.” She took the decorative pillow that was on the couch next to her and sat it on her lap. Her fingers followed the path across the beaded swirls on the fabric.

“But without the storm, and Zelda rescuing you, you may have never gotten the chance to get closer.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

At that moment, Zelda appeared in front of Marie, setting down a steaming mug on the end table next to the couch. Marie looked up from the tassel on the decorative pillow she was playing with, and smiled. Her heart started to jump around in her chest, and her nerves made themselves known.

“It’s tea,” Zelda whispered, ready to leave. “I know it’s cold over here, away from the fire.”

For what had to have been the fifth or sixth time that day, Marie felt breathless, and smiled back at Zelda. 

“Thank you,” she mouthed, noting how Zelda nervously wrung her hands together. 

“Do you want a blanket?” Zelda hesitated, eyes searching Marie’s. It was almost like Zelda wanted her to come back to the other room, to keep her company. Marie felt hopeful, and shook her head politely, not without a smile. Zelda nodded, turning on her heel and retreating.

_“M? Earth to Marieeeeee. You still there?”_

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry about that.” Marie reached for the mug and carefully brought it to her lips, gently blowing across the top. She chanced a sip and was pleased to find that it wasn’t as hot as she’d expected it to be. 

_“Was that Zelda?”_

“Mhhm.” Marie swallowed, and took another sip. In the other room there was a creaking noise, like an old door being opened. It was followed by Zelda swearing under her breath. Marie slid off of the couch and moved so that she could see around the corner, to see what Zelda had gotten up to. The door leading to the back porch was open, and snow sat on and around Zelda’s slippers. Her fists were clenched at her sides, and she seemed to be stuck in place, shocked over the amount of snow that had fallen into the house. 

“Hey Jean?” Marie went back to the end table to gather her tea. “I have to go, actually. I’m sorry. I hope you and the girls are doing okay.”

“No need to apologize, M. I will catch up with you later, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And don’t forget what I said. You are in that house for a reason, and it seems you may have already found that reason. Just keep letting things happen naturally, and see where things go. Trust yourself and follow your heart.” 

“That is actually really great advice, Jean.”

“Of course it is. I’m the older sister.” 

Smirking, Marie shook her head. She missed their conversations like this, where she was reminded of their much younger selves. It was always comforting and grounding, and gave Marie a sense of familiarity, regardless of what was going on in her life. 

“I’m going to hang up now.”

“Okay girl. I’ll talk to you later. Have fun with Zelda.”

“I will. Bye.”

Her tea was soon forgotten, for Marie went back to the living room, hoping that Zelda was okay.

“Zelda?” Marie called as she went to the coat rack and pulled her puffy coat off of one of the hooks, assuming that she would have to go outside as she heard the back door open. 

“Everything okay?” 

Zelda didn’t answer, and Marie could hear something scrape against the floor, followed by more grumbling from Zelda. Frantically, Marie stepped into her boots as well, just in case, and laced them up haphazardly. When she walked into the living room, she was greeted by Zelda’s back. The woman was bent at the waist as she scooped snow up with a bucket, and tossed it back outside over the banister. 

“Is everything okay?”

“The snow piled up at the back door overnight. I was hoping I’d be able to shovel it back outside without too much getting inside.”

The fair-skinned woman was moving quickly in the icy air, as though she didn’t even need a coat. The scowl upon her face told a different story, though. Zelda stepped back into the house and got sight of Marie all bundled up.

“Let me do that,” Marie said, stepping over the pile to take the bucket from Zelda’s hands. She sat it down on the ground and stood back up. Now she was face to face with Zelda, watching as Zelda’s eyes darted to Marie’s mouth and back up.

“I was just going to take the generator back to the shed, because the power is back, and then all of this happened, and—”

Zelda fell silent as Marie took her face between her hands, her skin cool to the touch.

“You’re freezing, Zelda.” Marie let a hand drift up to brush through the strands of hair that had fallen from her hair clip. Zelda grew warm beneath Marie’s touch, and licked her lips.

“I, um…”

“And beautiful. You are _so_ beautiful.” Marie looked at Zelda in disbelief, completely winded. She remembered Jean’s advice about letting things happen naturally. And right now, Marie wanted to kiss Zelda. So she did. 

Zelda hummed into the kiss, her lips cool beneath Marie’s. The tip of her nose was also cold, brushing against Marie’s cheek. But she didn't care. Nothing else mattered. 

“You’re wonderful,” Zelda mumbled as she broke the kiss. She shivered as she stood there in the doorway, ignoring the breeze. Marie wrapped her arms around Zelda in a hug, pulling her inside the warmth of her coat. Their eyes met again, their noses almost touching. Zelda tried to speak, her voice a rasp.

“I need to take the generator back to the shed, if you don’t mind helping me?”

“Of course not. I just…” Marie bit her lip. “I just really wanted to kiss you, and couldn’t help myself.”

“Oh.” Zelda blushed and looked away, a nervous smile on her face. 

_Goodness, she is gorgeous._

“I’m quite pleased that you did,” Zelda spoke, moving beneath the jacket. Marie let her arms drop from around Zelda, giving her the space she needed. 

“I’ll just get my coat and such, and be right out.” 

With a deeply flushed face, Zelda bowed away from Marie, and left her standing near the open door. 

_I hope that wasn’t too much. Fuck._

While Zelda went upstairs, Marie made herself useful, removing the rest of the snow that was inside the house. There wasn’t much left by the time she initially had approached Zelda anyways, and she was able to even find a mop in the kitchen to soak up the residue. She closed the back door and took a seat on the couch, trying to warm back up while waiting for Zelda. Her eyes shut on their own, and Marie figured she would just rest her eyes for a moment, the pancakes still sitting heavy in her belly.

“Marie? Hey, Marie?”

Marie opened her eyes with a start, her brain a few steps behind. Zelda was leaning over her, softly shaking her shoulder. 

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Zelda said softly, her hand lingering on Marie’s shoulder. 

Marie looked down, and noticed that she had a blanket draped over her body, despite still being in her coat. 

“How long was I asleep for?”

“Mmn…” Zelda looked at the golden watch that sat on her wrist, and then back at Marie. “A few hours I’d say.”

“What?! I usually never nap for that long!”

“Your body must have needed the rest,” Zelda replied, sitting down on the couch next to Marie. “Plus I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” 

She had changed, and instead of being in her pajamas, she wore a black turtleneck, jeans, and her “Z” necklace. Instead of being pinned up, her hair was now down and styled, the tresses cascading over her shoulders. She even wore a bit of makeup on her face, and she smelled of her perfume. Marie pulled her coat closed, still wearing her clothes from the previous day. 

“I think I may have overdone it in the snow last night.”

“Possibly. Do you think you are coming down with something?” Zelda reached out to lay the back of her hand against Marie’s forehead. She felt across Marie’s forehead as best she could considering Marie’s headscarf before pulling her hand away.

“No, not that I know of. I just felt really tired, and I’m not sure why.”

Marie sat upright, pushing away from the back of the couch. A yawn escaped her, and she covered her mouth, instantly apologizing. 

“Mmn, wow. Excuse me.” She wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, and sighed. 

“That’s okay. Rest if you need to. You’re on vacation.”

Marie’s stomach dipped unpleasantly at the reminder that her time in Greendale was limited. The feeling grew stronger when she saw the way Zelda was currently looking at her. 

“Yeah…”

The look on the redhead’s face was intense yet sweet, sensual yet caring. It sent now familiar tendrils of heat between Marie’s legs, her skin prickling. Her coat was now stifling, and she could feel herself working up a sweat. For a moment, Marie pictured them going for another round there on the couch, kissing her way down Zelda’s body. What she wouldn’t give for another taste.

 _She’s looking at me like she_ **_knows_ ** _me. And then there was that thing she said last night, that she couldn’t believe I was here. Something else is going on._

Being under Zelda’s gaze made Marie’s body feel like she was at sea, in the best way. She remembered going across choppy waves as a child, with her _granpapa_. She spent many a summer afternoon seated at the front of the boat, as they navigated choppy waves also meant cool ocean water splashing onto her whenever the prow smacked down against the water. Sometimes she would sit at the bow, and watch the spray of the wake as they sped across the blue-green water. It filled Marie with a queasy sort of excitement, and she felt the same thing looking at Zelda. Marie must’ve started to look ill, or gave some indication of how she felt on the inside, for Zelda reached out for her hand.

“Please do let me know if you aren’t feeling well, Marie. I wouldn’t want you suffering, and would do anything I could to make your stay more comfortable.”

_I am such a sucker for this type of talk. Damn._

“Thank you Zelda.” Marie rubbed over the back of Zelda’s hand while holding her gaze. They didn’t say anything, and eventually Zelda blushed, and pulled her hand away. She remained seated on the couch though, and took a shaky deep breath.

“So. Hilda called while you were sleeping. She said the roads are starting to be cleared. Her and the kids should be home sometime this afternoon. Soon, most likely.”

“That’s great! How long does that usually take for the roads to be cleared?”

“Several hours. They’ve been at it since this morning though. Hilda knows because her husband lives in town, and they saw the trucks going down the street.”

“Wait, so Hilda and Lance don’t actually live here?”

“Both. It’s...complicated? Well actually not so much. Lance has his place in town, close to where his shop is. Since Hilda works there, they usually just stay there. But during the holidays they stay here, from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. And of course they come to dinner regularly.”

“How long have they been married? They seem to be very much in love.” 

“They are. It’s only been about two years now, give or take.”

“Really?” Marie raised her eyebrows in disbelief. “I would’ve thought that they’ve been married for decades. They’re just so good together, and I don’t even know them.”

“Yeah. They’re perfect for each other,” Zelda nodded, looking off towards the fireplace. Marie could sense a sadness in her, and wondered if talk of her sister’s happiness was the cause of it. 

“That must be hard, having your sister move out like that after being together for so long. I mean, I assume you’ve always lived together?”

“Yeah she uh,” Zelda wrung her hands together in her lap, nervously. “She moved back in for a while after my divorce, with Lance of course. I had a hard time for a while, and she helped me through it.” 

“Oh dear. You know, I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you. I know you mentioned yesterday that it wasn’t the best relationship.”

“It wasn’t. It was a mistake, one which I paid for with my freedom and nearly my sanity. But my family really helped me get out of there, even though I had to leave everything behind.” 

_Leave everything behind?_

“Did he threaten you or something?” Marie sat up straighter, worried for Zelda’s safety, despite the fact that the woman clearly could hold her own.

“Well, it’s complicated. He owns all of the law firms in Greendale and Riverdale, and I was an attorney at the main Riverdale office. Let’s just say that I won’t be working as a lawyer again any time soon as long as I live here.”

“Oh Zelda.” Marie reached for her hand, and Zelda let her take it, not flinching when Marie laced their fingers together. 

“I am so incredibly sorry. Truly. You are a wonderful woman, and you deserve to have a partner who loves and supports you, and treats you well.” 

Zelda was silent, her chin trembling. She kept her lips pressed together, trying to keep from crying. 

“I _hate_ him.” She spat, her voice wet with unshed tears. “He made me feel small, and weak, of which I am neither.” 

Marie watched as Zelda angrily wiped away tears, and then her nose. She reached out for Zelda, fingertips slowly turning head back towards her, and smoothed her thumb over her cheek. 

“Look at me.”

“...it’s ridiculous, really, me crying over some stupid, foolish man—”

“Zelda. Look at me”

Finally, Zelda met Marie’s eyes again. Marie could see pain and fear there, causing her own heart to clench in response.

“You are neither of those things, okay? I meant what I said last night. You are determined, thoughtful, incredibly kind, resourceful, and beautiful. If some asshole can’t see that, and takes advantage of you, then they were never worth your time anyways, okay? You deserve to be cherished. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Ever.” 

Marie swept one of Zelda’s curls behind her ears, before chasing away a stray tear with her knuckle. 

“Marie.” 

Zelda gave her that needy look again, her eyes focused on Marie’s lips. Like clockwork, Marie found herself leaning in for another kiss, unable to resist. Zelda was pliant beneath Marie’s mouth, and slipped her tongue out in search of Marie’s, hungry for more contact. Marie responded eagerly, ready to pull Zelda onto her lap once more, when Zelda’s phone started buzzing. Marie broke the kiss, leaning her forehead against Zelda’s.

“What time is it now? I know for sure that I missed lunch.”

“It has to be three, or four. I’m not sure. I’d have to check,” Zelda breathed, her breath mingling with Marie’s. She sat back from their partial embrace, and pushed the button on the side of her phone. 

“It’s after four. Looks like Hilda tried to call me again.”

“I need to go take a shower before they all get back. Did she give you an idea of when she'd be back?” 

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Zelda’s voice went up in pitch as she yawned at the end of her sentence, stretching her arms up over her head. 

“Did I keep you up too late?” Marie smiled suggestively at her and winked, standing up from the couch. She also took a moment to get a good stretch in. Zelda absolutely could not help but smile back, her face growing red.

“Well, I think it might have been me who kept you up too late.”

“I’m not too sure about that. We might have to settle this dispute later.”

“Really?” 

“Well, if you want to. I don’t see why we can’t pick up where we left off later. But only if you are up to it.” 

Zelda licked her lips, and stared at a spot on the rug. “I will let you know. Right now I need a cigarette.”

“And I need to shower. See you in a bit then?”

“See you.”

Marie left the living room with a smile and a spring in her step, a rush of emotions swirling through her. 

_I’ll just let things happen naturally, like Jean said. I can do this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I am sorry that this took so long. Have not been doing the best mentally, so I was definitely dragging my feet on this one 😅😬
> 
> In-between the last chapter and this, I did a little Zarie art piece for Valentine’s Day. If you haven’t seen it, you can check it out [here](https://renaissancefleabag.tumblr.com/post/642880872752840704/before-marie-came-into-her-life-zelda-was-never-a). I’m really pleased with how it turned out. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this though. If you’ve followed the story this far, I really appreciate your patience and support. 
> 
> Also, if you are interested, you can find Haitian Griot recipes [here](https://tasty.co/recipe/haitian-griot-and-pikliz) and [here](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017276-haitian-pork-griot). I am looking for a vegan recipe for myself. Might have to try it out one day! The other food items Marie mentions I have had, and they are very very good (and now I’m actually really hungry).
> 
> Hope you all have a great week! 💜


	9. La petite mort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sweet, fluffy, yet smutty interlude.

**December 21, Spellman House**

True to Zelda’s word, Hilda, Lance, Sabrina, and Ambrose returned later that afternoon. Marie was in her room, tucking in the ends of her headwrap when she heard Sabrina announce their return. Not wanting to intrude, she decided to give the family some time to themselves, without the presence of a stranger. It was only so long, though, before Marie heard her name being called from the bottom of the staircase, and she hesitantly went downstairs. Hilda greeted her with a big, comforting hug, as though they were old friends, putting Marie at ease.

The evening with the Spellmans seemed to fly by as Marie and the family enjoyed dinner and a few games by the fire. The house was full of life once more, a stark contrast to the quaint, dreamlike moments Zelda and Marie had shared for most of the day. Despite them not being alone, Zelda snuck tiny looks at Marie throughout the evening, blushing when their eyes met. Marie smiled knowingly in response each time she caught her. The night stretched on, and Marie found herself yawning through a game of Taboo, trying to stay alert and help her team guess the word. Zelda was on the opposing team, consisting of Ambrose and Dr. Cee. Zelda saw how tired Marie was, and called the game after Marie’s team finished the round. While Ambrose and Sabrina put the game away, Marie said good night to everyone, and headed upstairs. 

Ten minutes later, Marie was tucked into bed clad in her thermal pajamas. She scrolled through her phone, checking out a few of the comments on Jean’s most recent Instagram post. Today’s video was another on family, specifically siblings. It was always strange for Marie to read comments about herself, especially from strangers on the internet. Everyone seemed to have nice things to say, which gave her a bit of a confidence boost. If anything, watching her sister’s video made her miss being with family even more. And yet, she also was enjoying being in Greendale. It was as though her heart was being pulled in multiple directions, an emotional tug of war. She wasn’t ready to go in a different direction just yet, not when she was still exploring this new territory. 

_But if I weren’t here, then I wouldn’t have met Zelda, or gotten to have fun with her…._

A smile snuck up on Marie, as she thought about what had taken place the past 24 hours. Meeting Zelda was definitely the highlight of the trip so far. Marie didn’t think that anything could be better than the time they spent together.

A soft tapping noise sounded at the door, and Marie looked towards it, wondering if she was just hearing things. The fireplace was still burning, giving off the occasional pop and crackle. But just when she thought she’d imagined it, she heard it again. Pushing the covers back, Marie slid out of the bed, advancing towards the door. She turned the knob, not sure what to expect, and pulled the door open.

Zelda stood on the other side, in a navy blue nightgown and silk robe, her arms wrapped around herself. Nervous energy radiated off of her, and it was clear that she’d been blushing.

“Zelda. What’s up?”

A visible shiver ran through Zelda’s body, and she rubbed her hands over her arms. 

“I just wanted to know if you uh, wanted company or...I know earlier today you mentioned we could...I hope I wasn’t misinterpreting things…”

Marie smiled watching Zelda become more and more worked up with each word that left her mouth. All of the confidence and strength that Zelda usually displayed seemed to have flown out the window the moment her and Marie were alone. It filled Marie with mirth, seeing Zelda get all flustered over her. In addition, Marie found Zelda incredibly adorable whilst nervous. She had the strong urge to wrap Zelda up in a blanket and shower her in kisses and hugs until the sun came up. Unable to resist some sort of contact, she reached for Zelda’s hand, noting that it was clammy, and pulled her inside the room. Zelda went willingly, her cheeks redder once out of the dimly lit hallway. 

“Come here,” Marie muttered, drawing Zelda close, right into a warm hug. Zelda went readily into the embrace, surprising Marie when she turned her head to rest on Marie’s shoulder. Yet again, Marie felt like she and Zelda had been here before ages ago, like they were no strangers to sharing an embrace. The sense of belonging she felt in that moment was too great. Where a handful of butterflies danced in Marie’s belly, a whole swarm gathered in Zelda’s. She clung to Marie like an anchor, waves of emotion threatening to pull her under. Marie sighed, letting out an exhale as peace and serotonin washed over her. 

Zelda lifted her head up and pulled back to look at Marie, a healthy blush on her cheeks.

“I’m sorry. I’m afraid I got carried away.”

“What? No, no. There is nothing to apologize for. It’s completely okay. As a matter of fact, I’m glad you’re here now.” Marie ran her fingers through a lock of Zelda’s hair, studying her face.

“Really?”

“Yes. I _really_ enjoyed myself, last night, and...it was nice to not be alone, for once.” Marie looked past Zelda for a moment, thinking of the loneliness that would be waiting for her upon leaving Greendale. She had to make every moment here count, to enjoy Zelda’s company while she could.

Zeda picked up on Marie’s change in mood, even though the tone of her voice was still upbeat. She lifted her palms to either side of Marie’s face, and swept her thumbs back and forth over the soft skin of her cheeks.

“I know what you mean…” Zelda let her eyes drift over Marie’s face, an awestruck look in her eyes. She let out a pleasant sigh and licked her lips, silently taking Marie in. Marie waited for Zelda to make the next move, still wanting to let Zelda move at her own pace.

“If you want, you can sleep here tonight,” Marie offered, watching Zelda, wondering what thoughts were swirling behind those green eyes. Zelda always looked at her like she was going to disappear at any given moment. That and like she couldn’t believe Marie was real.

“I would like that. I would like that very much.” 

“Perfect. Make yourself at home.” Marie gestured to the bed before laughing, her teeth shining bright. “I mean...this _is_ your home, after all. Make yourself comfortable, rather. I’m just going to run to the bathroom real quick.” 

Zelda nodded and walked around the large bed, the warmth of the room enveloping her. To the best of her knowledge, she’d never even slept in this bed before, let alone sat down on it. She chose the side that was still undisturbed and gently pulled the covers down, kicking her slippers off in the process. She sat down and folded her hands in her lap, looking around the room. Marie’s yoga mat was unrolled near the window, and there was a water bottle next to it. Her suitcase was standing next to the fireplace, in the corner across from the corner where her yoga mat was. Aside from the turned down covers of the bed, the suitcase, and the yoga mat, the room didn’t look to be too lived in. Zelda figured Marie didn’t bring much with her, as she had booked her trip on a whim. The small fireplace was burning low, and Zelda decided to add a few logs, just to make it last a bit longer. She crouched down in front of the small hearth and opened the grate, tossing some logs in, followed by the poker, breaking up some of the previously burnt pieces of wood. The door opened, and Zelda turned around to see Marie closing the bedroom door behind her. 

Upon re-entering the room, Marie’s breath was momentarily taken away by the sight of Zelda crouched near the fireplace, her hair glowing in the light. When she turned around, her curls bounced and landed softly against her shoulders, causing Marie’s heart to stop momentarily.

“Thank you for that. I was going to fix it up before bed, but you beat me to it.”

“It’s nothing. I just want to make sure you are comfortable.”

Marie smiled and kicked her slippers off, bending down to readjust one of her socks. She climbed up onto the bed and slid under the covers. Zelda walked back to the bed, quiet and overtaken by nerves once more. 

“Come on. I don’t bite,” Marie said, patting the bed next to her. She briefly turned away from Zelda to turn off the lamp on the nightstand, and then turned back. Zelda had slid under the covers and was laying flat on her back, blankets pulled up to her chin. Marie turned on her side, facing Zelda, and moved in close. Zelda turned her head to face Marie, and smiled in the darkness. Marie slid her arm across Zelda’s belly, and scooched even closer, putting her head onto Zelda’s pillow.

“Is this okay?”

“Mhmmn.”

Marie leaned in to kiss Zelda, her lips landing just next to Zelda’s mouth before she tried again, this time landing on Zelda’s lips. She tasted like minty toothpaste, and Marie wished every night could be like this, toothpaste kisses before bed, and companionship.

“Good night, darling one.” Marie whispered. Zelda didn’t reply, and instead leaned up to give Marie another kiss, this time turning to press her body up against Marie’s. Marie rolled onto her back, and Zelda went with her, ending up on top of Marie. Zelda’s body was warm against Marie’s, and her hair fell forward, tickling Marie’s throat and collarbones.

“I thought you wanted to sleep,” Marie said in an amused tone. She ran her hands over Zelda’s back, pressing her closer. Zelda slid over slightly, so that she was the one laying slightly propped up on her side, and Marie the one flat on her back.

“I did. I _do_ , I just—can I touch you?” 

Marie’s stomach bottomed out, her entire body doused by the heat of arousal.

_Did Zelda come to my room because she wanted to fuck me?_

The thought of Zelda between her legs again was enough to send her head spinning, and Marie forced herself to answer Zelda before wanton thoughts stole her sense of reason.

“Yes. Yes of course.”

Zelda’s hand shook as she slid it down Marie’s belly, and Marie could hear her breathing. She caught Zelda’s hand, momentarily pausing her descent down Marie’s body.

“You don’t have to be scared, Zelda.”

“I’m not.” Even Zelda didn’t believe the words that came out of her own mouth. She cursed herself inwardly, trying to get her breathing under control.

“You’re shaking.”

Zelda closed her eyes and sighed, her heartbeat running away from her. She sagged a bit against Marie, and Marie released her hand.

“I apologize.”

“Why?” Marie’s hands were on Zelda’s back now, rubbing in small circles. 

“I’m just nervous, I guess.” 

“You definitely weren’t nervous last night,” Marie said in a joking manner, while still rubbing comforting circles onto Zelda’s back. “But that’s okay. You don’t _have_ to do anything. If you want to make love, great. If you want to just sleep, then we can just sleep. Either way, I won’t be upset.”

Zelda was silent, blinking in the darkness. She slipped her palm beneath Marie’s pajama shirt to meet taut, smooth flesh. Her hand still shook but this time she felt her way up to Marie’s breasts, feeling over each fleshy mound. Not much time was spent there, though, for Zelda’s hand went far south, beneath the waistband of Marie’s pants and between her legs. Her fingers slid through the neatly trimmed hairs, dipping into warm wetness with ease, while Marie groaned beneath her. Zelda leaned in close, finding Marie’s mouth with her own while her hand worked inside of her.

“You are like something from a dream, Marie,” Zelda said, her voice sultry in the heated air between their mouths. The line was cliche, yet Zelda sounded far too convincing to be relying on convention. 

_Fuck convention,_ Marie thought, squeezing her eyes shut at the sensations Zelda was producing in her. Zelda’s hand was still there between her legs, fingers and thumb working in tandem to bring her closer to that delicious edge. 

“You are so gorgeous, so powerful,” Zelda whispered against her skin before nibbling at Marie’s neck. She soothed each nip with a swipe of her tongue, while Marie writhed beneath her.

“Resplendent.”

_“Ohhhh.”_

“Simply divine…”

“Zelda I’m—”

“...beautiful.”

Lights burst behind Marie’s eyelids as she came, her voice hoarse as she cried out. Zelda kissed her way back up to Marie’s mouth, her lips clashing with Marie’s teeth as she was mid-silent scream. 

The waves of pleasure seemed endless, and Marie wanted to drown. An incandescent serene feeling came over Marie as her senses returned, and she floated back down to earth. Zelda was nuzzling against the side of her face, her hand still buried deep within her. 

“You’re _amazing_ ,” Marie croaked, ready to fall asleep at any moment. She was just regaining her sense of where Zelda ended and she began when Zelda slid her fingers out of her, and brought her hand to her mouth. Marie could barely make her out, but Zelda hummed appreciatively as she ran her tongue over her fingers.

“You taste delicious, by the way.”

Still at a loss for words, all Marie could offer was a whimper. A kiss landed on her cheek, and Zelda tucked herself up against her side, sliding her arm across Marie’s waist.

“Now we sleep. We have a big day tomorrow night.” 

“Tomorrow night?” Marie found her voice, a sleepy drawl. She sat her hand on top of Zelda’s arm, gently clasping it against her midsection.

“The Greendale Christmas Celebration? I usually hate attending, even though it is tradition...but now that you’re here…”

Marie felt the call of sleep pulling her in. She tried to formulate an answer, but everything was _too_ comfortable. Zelda’s arms around her, the bed. It was almost impossible to not fall asleep. Just as she was drifting off, though, she could have sworn she heard Zelda say something else.

_“I still can’t believe you're here.”_

* * *

**December 22, Spellman House, Marie’s Bedroom**

The morning brought birdsong and soft light, which filtered into the room permeating the silence. Marie opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, smiling at the warm weight against her side. Again, she had experienced _la petite mort_ just before drifting off, proving to be the _best_ way to fall asleep. And it was at the hands of Zelda, the beautiful woman that Marie felt herself growing more and more attracted to by the hour, who was still curled up in bed with her. 

_I truly could stay like this forever,_ _just leave everything behind and just stay in bed with Zelda until further notice._

Marie turned to press a kiss to Zelda’s forehead, and sighed contentedly. Zelda’s beauty, even in slumber, caused Marie’s heart to fumble over the even beats it was taking, sending it irregular. Zelda turned, still asleep, and slid her leg up onto Marie’s with a soft moan. Marie rubbed her back, thoroughly ready to offer Zelda a thigh to rub against, if she so pleased. 

_I wonder what time it is. Do we even have time for some fun before breakfast?_

Marie wanted to check her phone, or the small clock that sat on the nightstand, but didn’t want to move and risk disturbing Zelda. She knew the woman worked hard, even if not at a traditional 9 to 5 job. She saw the way Zelda did things around the house, how she was practically a handyman.

_A woman who is certainly good with her hands, that’s for sure…_

Barely stifling a snicker, Marie looked down at Zelda again. The woman let out another moan, this one more of a soft sigh, as she pressed her hips towards Marie.

_So it_ **_is_ ** _going to be that kind of morning…_

Marie smiled, and began to rub Zelda’s back, her heart skipping when Zelda opened her eyes, a sleepy, sensual look on her face. 

“Good morning,” Marie whispered, still rubbing Zelda’s back. 

‘Hi.”

Zelda’s voice was a hoarse whisper, as though she were the one who was brought to orgasm the night before. A blush spread across her cheeks as she looked down to see the way she was pressed up against Marie, her crotch flush with Marie’s hip. She readjusted herself, moving to lie flat on her back next to Marie. 

“Sorry about that. I fear I was having a rather ah, intense, dream. I hope I wasn’t embarrassing myself in my sleep.” 

Zelda glanced at Marie before directing her attention back to the ceiling, her cheeks still red. Marie could sense her discomfort, and held her breath as she attempted to ease some of the tension that had settled over the woman. 

“Hey.”

Marie rolled over, now on top of Zelda, taking her in. Even now, with her embarrassed flush, bedhead and all, she was incredibly stunning. Marie found Zelda’s hand and raised it to her lips, kissing her palm.

“There will be no apologizing for seeking out sexual pleasure here.” 

Marie let her lips linger in Zelda’s palm, and drifted down to her wrist, marveling at the softness there. Zelda turned red anew beneath Marie’s gaze, and squirmed slightly.

“I—thank you, Marie.”

A smile spread across Marie’s face, and she released Zelda’s hand. 

“I think it is my turn to make you feel good anyways, hm? What do you say?”

Zelda’s eyes got that wet look in them, and she nodded, sliding her hands down to rest at her sides, giving Marie permission. She laid there before Marie like a present, ready to be unwrapped. After all, it _was_ Christmas in a few days. Maybe this was meant to be Marie’s gift after all.

Marie peeled up the bottom edge of Zelda’s nightgown, pleasantly surprised to see that once again, Zelda had decided to go without panties. There was wetness on the inside of her legs, from where she pressed them together in a useless attempt at stifling her desire. 

“My my. Is all of this because of me?” Marie purred, sliding her hands up Zelda’s inner thighs. She was glistening, the scent of her arousal enticing Marie closer. With a gentle nudge, Marie spread Zelda’s legs, eagerly moving between them with familiarity. She wasted no time and began to lick at Zelda, her need to bring Zelda to release building. Zelda moaned and writhed in the bed, sheets tangling between her fingers. Marie used her mouth alone, her hands still holding Zelda’s thighs over her shoulders. 

_Fuck me, she is so wet, and tastes so good._

At that moment, Marie couldn’t think of anything that tasted better than Zelda. She would surely miss this.

“Marie, _ohhhh.”_

Thoroughly devoted to the task at hand, Marie didn’t even take a moment to move her mouth from Zelda, though she did glance upwards to make sure she was alright. Zelda placed her hands on Marie’s head, partially as an anchor but also pulling her closer. For a few moments, time stopped for both women. Zelda, as she soared into the heavens on clouds of bliss, and Marie, as she was so wrapped up in Zelda’s pleasure, the sounds she was making, her taste, her smell. But even in the middle of it all, Marie thought she heard a faint knocking somewhere in-between Zelda’s moans and her own slurping. 

“Marie?”

There was a knock again, and Marie froze, her lips wet with the evidence of Zelda’s orgasm.

“Are you alright love?”

It was Hilda. 

Zelda immediately froze beneath her, and turned the darkest shade of red imaginable, bringing her hands up to cover her face.

“Hey it’s okay,” Marie kept her voice extremely low, kissing Zelda’s thigh. “I’ll just go see what she wants and it’ll be fine.”

Zelda said nothing, and kept her face covered, clearly wishing that she could disappear. Marie hopped down from the bed, and wiped her mouth and chin off with the back of her hand before opening the door. She turned the knob and only opened the door partially, not wanting to expose Zelda.

“Hilda,” Marie spoke with ease and a comfort she did not feel. She hadn’t looked in a mirror yet that morning, and had no idea if her appearance gave away when she’d been up to with the eldest Spellman sister. 

“I just wanted to bring you this. I think you left it down in the laundry room.”

Hilda held up a powder blue undershirt that had lace around the top edge. Marie recognized it immediately, and took the stray garment from Hilda’s hand.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome dear. I found it with my clothes in the dryer. It happens to me all the time, leaving clothing behind.”

Hilda prattled on, and Marie nodded, licking her lips. She could still taste Zelda.

_What a curious thing, to be talking to Hilda with the taste of Zelda fresh on my tongue…_

“...at the festival later. You have enough warm clothes, right?”

“Pardon?” Marie shook her head, mentally pulling her mind out of the lust-filled daydream she had momentarily escaped to.

“Do you have enough clean clothes to bundle up in to stay warm enough for the festival tonight? Because if you don’t, I can do some laundry for you, or we can find something around here for you to layer up in under your coat.”

“I think I’ll be fine Hilda. Thank you so much, though.”

Hilda looked over Marie’s shoulder into the bedroom, causing sweat to prickle at the back of Marie’s neck. In an attempt to save Zelda from further humiliation, Marie had opened the door just wide enough so that most of the room was out of sight. Even so, Hilda could still see into the bedroom. Marie didn’t know just how much she could see, and hoped that if Hilda did see Zelda there, she wouldn’t judge them. Nervously, she shifted from foot to foot, not wanting to slam the door closed in Hilda’s face. There was no way she could be rude to the woman who’d treated her like family the past couple of days.

“You feeling alright love? You’re looking a little flushed.”

“Oh. Uh, I’m...I’m fine. I’m _great_ , actually.” 

“Great. Well then. I’ll just be downstairs finishing up on the breakfast I started, if you uh,” Hilda looked past Marie, and over to the right. “...if you want to join us.”

“I’ll be down in a little bit. Thank you.”

“Of course. I’ll see you later. You too Zelda!” Hilda exclaimed, before turning on her heel and hurrying down the hallway, snickering quietly. Marie fought to hold back her smile as she closed the door, standing with her palm on the door.

“I’m sorry about that, Marie muttered, turning to see Zelda sitting upright in the bed, white as a sheet.

“Zelda? What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing, I just, it’s nothing.” 

Marie climbed back onto the bed, and began to rub Zelda’s back, frowning at the sudden change in her mood.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, you know? It’s okay.”

“I’m not embarrassed, I just…” Zelda looked up at Marie and then back down at her hands, wringing them together nervously in her lap. 

“You’re not ashamed of what we did, are you? Because you looked so beautiful when you came. As a matter of fact, you look beautiful all the time, Zelda.”

This got a smile out Zelda, and before Marie could react, Zelda surged forward and captured her lips in a kiss. Marie wrapped her arms around Zelda, pulling her closer. Marie could tell from the time that she and Zelda had spent together that while the woman was incredibly nuanced and reserved, she was also very sweet, and soft, and it was heartwarming. 

“Thank you for that.” Zelda bit her lip, and looked up at Marie demurely, licking her lips. “I have a question for you, actually.”

She looked nervous again, but this time she had a smile on her face. 

“Yes?”

“Would you do me the honor, of accompanying me to the Greendale Christmas Celebration?”

Marie cupped Zelda’s chin, looking down at her lips, then back up at her eyes. Zelda’s eyes were grey green in the sunlight, and Marie could see flecks of what appeared to be amber in them. And her _freckles_. Seeing Zelda like this, makeup-free, first thing in the morning, was truly a treat. One Marie would cherish forever. 

“There is nothing that would please me more, Zelda”

“Perfect.” 

Zelda stood from the bed, but not without placing a kiss on Marie’s cheek, trailing her lips over to Marie’s lips for a final kiss. 

“I’m going to go get ready for the day. If you want, you can join me in the bath.”

Another surge of heat flushed over Marie for the third time that morning, and she knew she would need her own release soon. 

“Not in the bathroom in the hall.”

“Oh no. In my bathroom, in my bedroom.”

“Oh.” Marie smiled, covering her mouth. “I’ll meet you there in a few minutes, then.”

“Perfect.”

Marie watched Zelda’s retreating form, and fell back onto the bed the moment Zelda was out of sight. She smiled to herself, running her fingertips over her lips, where Zelda had kissed her sweetly just moments before.

It was going to be another good day. She just knew it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do apologize again for how late this chapter is. I know I've been saying that every chapter for the past several chapters in a row, but I'm really trying to get myself back to some sort of posting schedule. Things are a bit hard for me right now, but I 100% want to keep pushing through with this story. Also Animal Crossing has taken over my life 😅 It's a nice distraction and escape from the daily anxiety and depression. 
> 
> I hope those of you who are reading this have been having a good March so far, and that things are going well for you all. Thank you again for following along with this story, even when the updates are later than I would like. I really appreciate it!! 💜

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends! So I'm back, kind of. I've been wanting to do a Zarie multichap for quite some time, but my mental health was not in the right place. It still kind of isn't, but I've had the idea for a Zarie Hallmark movie type of Christmas fic in mind for a few months now, and my friends encouraged me to do it. I hope that I can knock this out in like 10 chapters or less? We'll see. My goal is to have content for you all to read throughout the holiday season. I hope I can get the pacing right, and things don't feel too rushed or anything. I'm also working on a playlist to go with this story. Hope to have that together soon for you to listen to, if you like!
> 
> I did want to point out that there is a difference between Vodou and Voodoo, in that Vodou is Haitian Vodou, and Voodoo is the Americanized spelling of what is practiced in New Orleans (a lot of people will tell you that there is a difference between Louisiana Voodoo and Haitian Vodou. I won't go into all of the details and what not here, but you can look it up if you are interested). I just didn't want anyone to be confused from my mention of both in this. Also, I know that in French, the word for mother is "maman". I have "manman" here, as that is the word in Haitian Creole.
> 
> I would like to say a special thank you to Paradox, Tanya, Becca, Kathy, and Caro for being supportive and encouraging and all around lovely. I love you all. 💜💜💜
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for reading! Hope to have the second chapter to you all soon 😎


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